Manila Standard - 2019 November 20 - Wednesday

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Breathing space for POGO pushed, Palace unmoved

HK protesters’ daring escape HONG KONG—Dozens of Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters dramatically escaped a two-day police siege at a university campus late Monday by shimmying down ropes from a bridge to waiting motorbikes, after Beijing again warned it could intervene to end the crisis engulfing the city.

Clashes rumbled into the early hours of Tuesday between protesters and police who had threatened to use deadly force to dislodge activists holed up at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

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By MJ Blancaflor and Julito G. Rada OFFSHORE gaming firms should be taxed, Malacañang said Tuesday, contradicting Solicitor General Jose Calida and siding with Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on the issue.

“While the matter is being studied at length by the DOF [Department of Finance], what is clear is that the state cannot be denied its right to collect on all applicable taxes on any entity or individual,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

Panelo also noted that the DOF has the primary mandate to “formulate, institutionalize and administer fiscal policies in coordination with other concerned subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities of government.”

“As such, the discretion of the DOF, alongside the Bureau of Internal Revenue [BIR], carries significant weight on matters of taxation,” he said.

Calida previously said POGOs could not be taxed by the government based on the “source of income” rule under the Tax Code of the Philippines, while Dominguez said it was not the Office of

DOWN TO SAFETY.

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 279 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A protester (c) lowers herself down a rope from a bridge to a highway, to escape from Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus and from police, in Hung Hom district in Hong Kong on Monday. Dozens of Hong Kong protesters escaped a two-day police siege at a campus late that day by shimmying down a rope from a bridge to waiting motorbikes in a dramatic and perilous breakout that followed a renewed warning by Beijing of a possible intervention to end the crisis engulfing the city. AFP

‘Missteps’ cost Leni rank Duterte: VP just ‘need to know’, don’t have to fire her from ICAD

Stop importation of rice, President orders DAR chief

By MJ Blancaflor

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night said he had ordered government agencies to restrict Vice President Leni Robredo’s access to confidential information on the illegal drug menace, saying she just “needs to know.”

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night confirmed that he had ordered Agriculture Secretary William Dar to suspend rice importation, as he asked Congress to allocate funds to buy “palay” or unhusked rice from local farmers.

Duterte, who earlier apologized to local rice farmers over the drop of prices of the staple, said he is suspending its importation since it is now “harvest time.”

“If you don’t want problems, buy all the produce of local farmers. If their farm gate [prices] are costly, no problem,” the President said in a press conference, addressing lawmakers.

Congress has approved a measure that allows government agencies to use the remaining ₱6.97-billion rice subsidy fund to buy palay from local farmers.

In February, Duterte signed the Rice Tariffication Law allowing private firms to import rice if they secure

In a late-night press conference, Duterte said he “did not need to fire” Robredo from the Inter-Agency Committee Against Illegal Drugs (ICAD), but also did not want to appoint her back into the Cabinet since she would “jeopardize” state secrets -- and said he does not trust her.

Instead, the President said Robredo could only provide guidance to the 21-member ICAD that she has been tasked to lead.

“You can give the directions, you can give the guidance. But you do not have to go there and waggle inside the law enforcement process,” Duterte said.

Speaking to Palace reporters, Duterte also accused Robredo of “grandstanding” and called her a “scatterbrain” for

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Hidden Spanish relic gets reboot

FACELIFT FOR TOURISM.

In this photo taken on Nov. 6, a worker stands near the entrance of the El Deposito, a Spanish-era water reservoir being rehabilitated for tourism, in San Juan City in Metro Manila. Vaulted ceilings and rows of stone columns stretch into the humid darkness deep below the Philippine capital, where workers are transforming an over century-old underground reservoir into a draw for tourists. AFP

VAULTED ceilings and rows of stone columns stretch into the humid darkness deep below the Philippine capital, where workers are transforming a more-than-century-old underground reservoir into a draw for tourists.

The sparks of welding guns illuminate the damp contours of El Deposito, an abandoned Spanish colonial-era relic with a rich history that has been hidden from view for decades. “[El Deposito] has a very colourful history that we Filipinos must appreciate and value even after all these years,” Kaye Oliveros, curator for the soon-to-be-opened site told AFP. Crafted from volcanic rock and completed 137 years ago, the underground cavern was made to hold 14 million gallons (53 million liters) of Next page

US vows to back PH amid sea tension

By Rey E. Requejo THE United States on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to come to the defense of the Philippines in the event that it is attacked, particularly in the West Philippines Sea, Manila’s exclusive economic zone, which China also claims.

The reaffirmation of its commitment under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty was made through US Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper during a meeting

with his counterpart, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in Manila.

“Recalling Secretary [of State Michael R.] Pompeo’s reaffirmation of the US commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty during his March 2019 visit to Manila, both secretaries reiterated the Mutual Defense Treaty’s applicability to the entire Pacific region, including the South China Sea,” a statement issued by the US Embassy in Manila said.

This joint statement between Esper and Nest page

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‘Ramon’ still up North; new LPA

MEETING OF MINDS. US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (right) shakes hands with his Philippines counterpart Delfin Lorenzana after their joint press conference at the Department of Defense in Manila on Tuesday. AFP

TYPHOON “Ramon” maintained its strength and remained stationary while affecting the Babuyan Islands, where the state weather bureau forecast it would make landfall Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, a low pressure over Next page

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

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Senators: Let Teddy speak, not Sal S

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ENATORS have asked Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo to stop talking about foreign affairs and let Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. do it.

“Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo should not meddle on issues involving foreign relations. He should not answer questions on the matter,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said before the Senate approved the P24.216-billion budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs for 2020.

“He should allow the DFA secretary or spokesperson to answer questions on foreign relations.

“The secretary of Foreign Affairs should assert that he is―other than the President―the single spokesperson in so far as foreign relations is concerned given the very sensitive nature of his

work and our foreign relations.

“We would like to think that the secretary has a very competent pool of advisers who can advise him on the ramifications of any foreign policy pronouncement which unfortunately is not in the bureaucracy of the presidential spokesperson.

“So that if Panelo is being asked, he should pass it to the DFA.” Drilon asked why there were two views on the Philippines’ foreign policy: One from Panelo and another from Locsin.

Senator Richard Gordon, who sponsored Foreign Affairs’ budget, said it was a question of elasticity.

“Apparently, Mr. Panelo has a wider view because he takes it when he reacts to the media,” said Gordon as he echoed Drilon’s stand that Foreign Affairs should be the one to answer questions on foreign policy.

Gordon said he finds having two spokesmen on the country’s foreign policy “really unacceptable.”

“I think it really should be the DFA who should be the principal spokesman,” Gordon said.

“Sometimes he gets called when the meeting is still going on and he just makes his statements based on the last thing he heard.

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Games cauldron: Imeldific? Yes, but reasonable’

the Solicitor General’s duty to interpret tax law.

Panelo, who also serves as President Duterte’s chief legal counsel, said POGOs are domestic corporations and are covered by the National Internal Revenue Code.

“Their income shall be subjected to Philippine taxes regardless of whether the same was derived from a source outside of the Philippines,” he said.

“As for those POGOs considered foreign corporations,” he said, “they too are taxable but only for income which they derived from sources within the country.”

Quoting the Supreme Court, Panelo said taxes are the nation’s lifeblood, used by government agencies to operate.

On the other hand, the head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. said POGOs should be given some “breathing space” to grow before they are taxed heavily by the government.

PAGCOR chairperson Andrea Domingo offered this view after the House committee on ways and means approved a bill that would impose new taxes on the revenues generated by POGOs and their service providers.

“I would recommend that and I can only pray they will listen,” Domingo said in a statement.

Domingo said fair and reasonable taxation is good for the industry, but said over-taxation would kill off legitimate operations while leaving the illegal ones untouched.

On Monday, the House committee on ways and means approved House Bill 5267 that would impose new taxes on the revenues generated by POGOs and their service providers.

The bill was proposed by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda. The measure will now have to be sponsored for second reading approval in he plenary.

If passed into law, HB 5267 would require POGOs to pay a 5-percent tax on gross receipts from their operations covered by the law granting their franchise.

Foreign employees working for POGOs who earn a minimum annual salary of P600,000 would also have to pay an additional 25 percent tax on their salaries, wages, annuities, compensation, remuneration, honoraria, and allowances.

Salceda said the additional taxes would raise P45 billion for the national government annually.

Dominguez on Monday said POGO operations should be taxed, a position that contradicted the earlier opinion of the Office of the Solicitor General which said this kind of business could not be taxed.

Dominguez said the primary jurisdiction to interpret the Tax Code provisions lies with the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

He said the BIR had already issued an opinion to this effect months ago, saying that the situs of income was where the services were rendered.

“Thus, since POGOs are providing services to their counterparts in the Philippines, they are subject to income tax,” Dominguez said. He said the same was true for VAT, which also was imposed on services rendered in the Philippines.

By Maricel V. Cruz, Joel E. Zurbano, Jess Malabanan and Joyce Pangco Pañares

Hidden...

From A1 water, which was pumped through iron pipes into thousands of homes until the early 20th century.

Japanese forces drained the cavern during World War II and used the tunnels as an ammunition dump. US forces destroyed El Deposito’s above-ground structures as they retook the Philippines in 1945.

The reservoir fell into neglect after the war, turning into a dumpsite and even being invaded by squatters over the next half century.

In 1973 the government declared the site a national shrine, and in 2016 a four-year cleanup started.

Construction crews have been working to finish a metal walkway and other infrastructure that will welcome visitors when the site is due to open to the public in February.

The opening comes in the run-up to the 500th anniversary in 2021 of explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines during the first successful circumnavigation of the Earth.

He claimed the archipelago for Spain, which would rule the Philippines as a colony for nearly the next 400 years.

The reservoir, which was built toward the end of Spanish control, was a major advancement for the residents of Manila.

Before then, water was scooped out of the river and delivered to the capital’s homes by porters lugging large clay jars. AFP

Suspend rice imports, Butil group pleads

By Maricel V. Cruz A GROUP on Tuesday appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte “to suspend rice imports with urgency” and to order a parallel investigation on why three million metric tons of rice would have been dumped into the local market by the end of the year.

The Butil Party-list group, through former representative Cecilia Leonila Chavez, said the rice imports had been “reckless and tainted with corruption” as validated by the findings of the Federation of Free Farmers, which had been documenting the undervaluation of rice imports to depress the amount that would go to the amelioration fund for farmers.

Meanwhile, Rep. Luis Villafuerte on Tuesday urged Congress to enact a measure providing rice growers with cash transfers or subsidies to be sourced from the rice import tariff collections in excess of the P10 billion earmarked yearly for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

Villfuerte filed House Resolution 532 providing congressional authorization for an immediate special fund―the proposed Rice Farmer Financial Assistance―to let the Department of Agriculture grant cash transfers to small farmers to help them cope with the low palay prices this main harvest season.

Villafuerte, deputy speaker for finance, said given this action, Congress could help President Duterte provide instant relief to small palay growers reeling from declining farmgate prices.

In the Senate, Senator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday said they believed the programs under the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund would address the perennial woes in the agriculture sector.

In a statement, Villar said the RCEF would also help the farmers and fishermen lower their production cost and increase their productivity and income.

She thanked Duterte for allaying the fears of the farmers and for reassuring them that the rice tariffication law would work for their benefit in the long run.

Under the law, the tariff collections from the rice imports would go to a farm amelioration fund and the initial target is a P10-billion money pool.

budget for the purpose was reasonable.

Malacañang, meanwhile, appealed to the public not to “prejudge” House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano over the P55-million stadium cauldron constructed for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Cayetano, as head of the Philippine SEA Games Organizational Committee Foundation Inc. tasked to oversee the country’s hosting of regional games, can defend the use of funds for the cauldron, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

“Speaker Alan is accountable to all that relates to the SEA Games. Whatever was done, of course, he was in charge. He is accountable,” Panelo told Palace reporters.

“Meanwhile, let’s not prejudge. You know, it’s easy to accuse,” Panelo added.

The cauldron stirred controversy Monday, when Drilon questioned the expense.

“Is that reasonable? Is that a correct prioritization? We will spend P50 million for the kaldero that will be used only once?” he said.

Drilon said he would ask the Senate to look into the construction of the cauldron, as well

as the Commission on Audit to undertake a special audit on all the funds spent for the SEA Games.

Designed by the late Thomasian architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, the cauldron is 50-meters high and three meters in diameter.

The stadium cauldron will be lit for the biennial meet from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 this year.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will enforce a no-fly zone in the surrounding areas of the Philippine Arena in Bo aue, Bulacan, and New Clark City, in Pampanga in connection with the country’s hosting of the 30th SEA Games.

CAAP issued notices to airmen from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11, implementing a “no-fly zone.”

The measure, which will restrict all aircraft operations within three nautical miles and restrict general aviation flights within 40 nautical miles of the two venues from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., will take effect during the opening and closing ceremonies of the event.

Meanwhile, close to 15,000 policemen will be deployed to provide security for the sports events that will be held in Metro Manila.

agreed on my role yet. For me, what I can do, I will do. They said it was sincere.

But sincerity is not said, it is being done,” Robredo said, indicating that officials’ actions following her appointment to the ICAD leadership showed a lack of sincerity.

The Vice President reiterated she accepted the offer of the President so that she could save lives, seek justice to those who died in the war against drugs, and hold those behind these deaths culpable.

Panelo also said the Chief Executive has reservations on trusting her with classified information on the drug menace, despite being the co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee Against Illegal Drugs (ICAD).

“The Vice President talking with—and seeking the advice of—certain foreign institutions and personalities that have prejudged the campaign against illegal drugs as a violation of human rights, as well as a crime against humanity, did not sit well with the President,” Panelo said.

Robredo’s “insistence on getting access to classified information,” added to President Duterte’s reconsideration to appoint her in the Cabinet, Panelo said.

Panelo said these “missteps” registered “red signs that could not be ignored” and derailed President Duterte’s intent for the Vice President to be part of the administration.

The Palace official also said Robredo has “the tendency to be generous with acquired information and knowledge to others whose predilection may not be in the best interest of the country.”

Robredo previously met with the Austria-based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Catholics Bishops Conference of the Philippines, an influential group of Church leaders who have been criticizing drug-related deaths.

Panelo claimed “even the prosecutor of the rejected Rome Statute ICC that has no jurisdiction over the country” has been welcomed by Robredo.

The Vice President, who also leads the

opposition Liberal Party, has already said she would prefer that the country to first try to solve its problems internally before inviting international investigators to come in.

Duterte’s spokesman, however, said the Vice President could still do her job as the anti-drug czar even without acquiring classified information.

“If you have many ideas to solve the drug problem, even if I don’t trust you giving classified, secret [information], I will listen to you,” he said.

“It has nothing to do with trust. It has something to do with the effectiveness of your ideas,” Panelo added.

He also said Robredo has not yet laid out her plans on how she will resolve the drug menace until her term expires in 2022.

Duterte appointed Robredo as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on AntiIllegal Drugs (ICAD).

Robredo had been critical of Duterte’s flagship campaign that has killed more than 5,000 drug suspects, according to government data, and internationally condemned by human rights groups.

Some have been claiming the fatalities of the crackdown on narcotics could reach as high as 20,000.

Robredo on Tuesday met with the officials of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to seek the involvement of the local government units in their efforts to fight illegal drugs.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, said Robredo, as co-chair of the ICAD, should begiven a copy of the major drug suspects.

“That’s basic information,” said Lacson.

“She does not know those in the HVT list, how could she proceed in the first place?” Lacson said.

“I think she’s saying all the right things and doing all the right things because the first thing she did was meet with members of the ICAD. And there are 20 agencies,” said Lacson. With Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

the east of the Visayas developed into a tropical depression named “Sarah.”

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the eye of “Ramon” as of 4 p.m. yesterday was located at 120 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kms per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 165 kph.

“Ramon” is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday to head toward the West Philippine Sea. Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 3 re-

mained in effect over Cagayan’s Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanches Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Calayan, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga and Santa Ana towns.

Signal no. 2 was hoisted over the provinces of Batanes, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and the rest of Cagayan.

Signal no. 1 was in effect over Isabela’s Sta. Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Sto. Tomas, Quezon, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Divilacan, Quirino, Roxas, Mallig, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu and Iligan City; Mt. Province; Benguet; Ifugao; La Union, and Pangasinan. Rio N. Araja with PNA Meanwhile, the weather bureau said “Sarah” was located at 710 kms east of Virac,

Catanduanes.

Unlike “Ramon,” “Sarah” was moving fast at 35 kms northwestward. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

In Tuguegarao City, at least 1,497 families or 5,487 people trooped to evacuation sites at schools and village halls in 11 towns of Cagayan province on Monday night as Typhoon “Ramon” (international name Kalmaegi) hit the northern Philippines, disaster management officials said.

Governor Manuel Mamba suspended classes in all levels for the second day on Tuesday to ensure the safety of students.

However, work in both public and private offices and establishments resumed after

being suspended on Monday, acting provincial information officer Rogelio Sending Jr. told the Philippine News Agency.

Task Force Lingkod Cagayan chief Rueli Rapsing said power supply had been cut off in Santa Ana and Gonzaga as “Ramon” pummeled the province.

Bagging operations were conducted at Buguey shorelines, particularly in floodprone Paddaya West, Mayor Lloyd Antiporda said.

On the other hand, Allacapan Mayor Harry Florida said landslides blocked the provincial road in their area.

Five boat crew members were stranded at Aparri port as the bad weather forced them to delay travel to Calayan Island in Cagayan.

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HK protesters’...

permits from the Bureau of Plant Industry.

The law has formed a P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to protect the livelihood of local farmers, but some groups has criticized the measure for bringing in cheap imported rice, which forced many Filipino tillers to sell their produce at lower prices. MJ Blancaflor

The university siege has become a battle of wills between Hong Kong’s stretched police force and the constantly innovating protest movement.

Late Monday, dozens of black-clad protesters on a footbridge slithered down ropes several meters to a road below, where they were whisked away on motorbikes.

In an apparently coordinated effort, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers streamed

towards the PolyU campus to break the siege, as clashes simultaneously raged with police nearby in Kowloon.

Several dozen people remained on the campus, one protester told AFP, although a number of minors were allowed to leave after negotiations with lawmakers.

A new phase of violence and drama began last week and has led to chaos throughout the semi-autonomous city of 7.5 million people, with schools closed, train lines disrupted and major roads blocked by barricades.

China has refused to budge on any of the protesters’ demands, and warned it will not

tolerate dissent in the financial center.

A brief appearance by Chinese soldiers on Hong Kong’s streets over the weekend— supposedly to clean up debris—fueled concerns that Beijing could intervene militarily.

China’s ambassador to Britain upped the ante on Monday.

“The Hong Kong government is trying very hard to put the situation under control,” Liu Xiaoming said.

“But if the situation becomes uncontrollable, the central government would certainly not sit on our hands and watch. We have enough resolution and power to end the unrest.” AFP

THE chairman of the House ways and means committee said Monday the P55million cauldron for the torch lighting ceremony of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games was grandiose in scale, but was “proportional to the new and bolder character of the Filipino… coming of age and breaking into the field of emerging tigers.”

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda was reacting to criticism from Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who said the cost of the cauldron could have gone to building 50 classrooms.

But Salceda said the budget for the SEA Games, which the Philippines is hosting this year, was a lump sum item in the 2019 national budget.

He added that he thought the P5-bilion

‘Missteps’...

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talking to different government agencies, local stakeholders, and international partners in a bid to make the government approach against narcotics more humane.

“Right after she was appointed, she began talking publicly about inviting human rights commission, wants to talk to the United Nations, European groups. And she is saying a lot of things.

If that’s the case, I cannot appoint her as a Cabinet member if that is the way her mouth behaves,” Duterte said.

“We discuss critical issues [during Cabinet meetings]. If she is there, I don’t know her, and the way she behaves after I appoint her, it’s not inspiring. I was afraid,” he added.

Duterte appointed Robredo as ICAD co-chair on Oct. 31, a post which she accepted on Nov. 6.

Robredo had been critical of Duterte’s flagship campaign that has killed more than 5,000 drug suspects, according to government data, and internationally condemned by human rights groups.

Earlier, Malacanang said Robredo has committed “missteps” in her first two weeks as the anti-drug czar that did not sit well with the President, prompting him not to appoint her to a Cabinet position.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte’s disinclination to appoint Robredo back in the Cabinet was due to her insistence on getting classified information and talking with “enemies of the state” or personalities critical of the administration’s anti-drug campaign.

Still, Robredo questioned the President for appointing her as the co-chairperson of the ICAD if he does not trust her.

“If they (ICAD members) would deprive me of the information, that would be up to them. As far as I am concerned, when I accepted the job wholeheartedly, I will give my best,” she said in an event in Navotas City.

“It’s not my problem if they haven’t

‘Ramon’...

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With Macon Ramos-Araneta

US...

From A1 Lorenzana addressed some ambiguity in the MDT of 1951, which provides that the United States and Philippines shall support each other if either were to be attacked by another country.

The treaty states that an attack on the metropolitan Philippines will trigger the MDT, but it was not clearly defined what part of the Philippines it covers.

Despite a warning from China for the US to stop “flexing its muscles” in the South China Sea, Esper and Lorenzana said the US and Philippines were committed to upholding the freedom of navigation, overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea in the South China Sea. “The Philippines noted that, as an ASEAN member, it has a crucial role to play in ensuring that these principles are enshrined in an eventual Code of Conduct for South China Sea claimant states,” the joint statement said.

“The United States acknowledged the importance of the unified vision and strategy enshrined in the member-adopted “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” and recognized ASEAN centrality as integral to its Indo-Pacific Strategy,” it added.

Esper noted that most participants in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Minister’s Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand recently expressed concern over China’s “excessive claims” in the region.

The US Defense secretary said affected countries should take a “very public posture” to assert their sovereign rights and emphasize the importance of international law in the region.

Rio N. Araja with PNA

News PCSO welcomes PAGCOR ‘referrals’ of patients THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office known for its charitable programs for the disadvantaged sectors of the society who are in dire need of medical assistance, welcomes the move of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in asking the assistance of PCSO in verifying and establishing the authenticity of the medical and documentary requirements submitted by the patients.

The referral of individuals seeking medical assistance from PAGCOR to PCSO is an explicit recognition of the expertise, ability, transparency and integrity of PCSO in handling medical requests. To date, PCSO is processing a daily average of 1,890 medical requests nationwide.

It can be recalled that on Nov. 14 PAGCOR Chairperson Andrea Domingo ordered the temporary stoppage of the medical assistance of the agency due to falsified claims.

PCSO and PAGCOR will closely coordinate to expedite process that will not only address the issue of fraudulent claims but will also help achieve both objectives of maximizing the aid given to patients and synchronizing the systems of both agencies as they prepare for responsible data-sharing and explore long term solutions that will help the agencies realized their commitment to the Universal Health Act.

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Baloyo asks DOJ to dismiss drug raps P OLICE Superintendent Rodney Baloyo IV on Tuesday asked the Department of Justice to dismiss the criminal complaint filed against him by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, saying the complainant failed to present the Chinese national who reportedly ended up as the fall guy in the missing P648 million worth of shabu that was taken from an anti-illegal drugs operation in 2013.

In his 13-page rejoinder-affidavit, Baloyo argued that the complainant PNP-CIDG was unable to present before the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors Chinese national Ding Wenkun as a witness in the

proceedings.

“The truth of the matter could have been laid to rest by simple expedient of presenting Ding Wenkun as a witness himself, but the complainant PNP-CI-

DG, for inexplicable and unjustifiable reasons, has consistently failed to present him before the Hon. Department of Justice ever since the inception of this Criminal Complaint, or since way back in the year 2014,” Baloyo said.

In Wenkun’s absence, Baloyo said the PNP-CIDG tried to pass off the sworn statement of a certain Neil Gernace as its substitute witness.

“However, it is crystal clear that Gernace had no personal knowledge of the truth and veracity of what Ding Wenkun was supposedly saying, as Gernace was only admittedly present when Ding

Don’t run for president, Du30 tells Sara anew

By MJ Blancaflor

‘Monitor increasing prices of eggs, chicken’ CITING a surge in the prices of eggs and chicken in Metro Manila markets the past weeks, Senator Imee Marcos on Tuesday urged the government to monitor price movements more closely as Christmas draws nearer.

“There’s no reason for the rise in egg prices because the Philippine Egg Board itself was shocked to find out an increase way above the suggested retail price [SRP)] of P5 each, despite steady supply and farmgate prices,” Marcos said.

The cost of small eggs has reached more than P6 apiece, with a tray of 30 pieces at P180 or more, instead of SRP’s P150.

“This may be an introductory shock for now, considering it’s not yet December,” Marcos warned.

Also, Marcos said retail prices of chicken spiked anew from last month’s P160 to P180 a kilo while wholesale prices were just at P123 to P128 only.

Marcos said prices of chicken are now pegged at P190 to P200 a kilo.

“Yes, the cost of chicken feed has gone up and chicken production dipped in some parts of Luzon,” she said.

“But the Department of Agriculture has already said the consumption of pork is going back to normal, so chicken prices should not be that steep,” Marcos added.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Exert more efforts vs. killings, CHR urged SENATOR Richard J. Gordon has called on the Commission on Human Rights to exert more efforts in gathering evidence and filing necessary charges against the perpetrators.

He said the CHR should press a little harder to get the trust of the people and to investigate, instead of just being a talking head.

“It must put a lot of effort to gather evidence and file necessary charges against the culprits. Every day there is someone being killed,” Gordon said during the deliberation for CHR’s budget for 2022.

He noted that while the CHR may investigate the drug-related killings, it is important to get strong witnesses to really apply due process in all killings because people have a right to be safe.

Gordon also advised the CHR to advertise what the agency is doing to let the public know that it is doing something and make people understand how they can participate and go after human rights abuses.

“Judges are killed, even teachers, policemen, and government employees, among others,” Gordon said.

The creation of the bill came following Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta’s previous statement that he envisions having a security force, patterned after the United States Marshals Service, that will protect the judges.

Gordon earlier expressed concern over the high number of murder cases involving the judiciary in the country, which includes the ambush of Ilocos Sur Judge Mario Anacleto Bañez in San Fernando, La Union last Nov. 5. Former Municipal Trial Court Judge Exequil Dagala was also shot dead in his residence in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte last Nov. 1.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

WARM WELCOME. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte warmly welcomed the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Han Dong-Man who paid a courtesy call on the President at the Malacañan Palace on Nov. 18. Presidential Photo

Romualdez joins relief effort for quake victims

By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has joined the ongoing relief drive for earthquake-hit North Cotabato, distributing relief goods to families affected by earthquakes in Makilala town.

More than a thousand of non-food items and cash assistance were distributed to the earthquake victims in three barangays of Makilala, including a Muslim area in Barangay Concepcion where he also provided electrical materials to light their mosque.

In his message, Romualdez reminded the tremor victims to be resilient and vigi-

lant especially since aftershocks continue to rattle North Cotabato up to this time.

Romualdez said he and his fellow Leyteños were victims of calamities, specifically the killer typhoon “Yolanda.”

But, he said, they were able to got back on their feet.

He was referring to the Eastern Visayas’ plight against Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Romualdez also disclosed that Congress is now pursuing mechanisms to ensure rehabilitation funding and providing quality homes for all.

The legislator has donated P500,000 during his birthday last week and will be divided among five badly-hit districts:

One in Davao del Sur, one in Davao Occidental, and three in North Cotabato.

Romualdez was joined by the province’s second district Rep. Rudy Caoagdan, third district Rep. Joseejada, and Mayor Armando Quibod of Makilala.

Also in attendance were former Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony del Rosario and former Davao del Norte second district Rep. Antonio Lagdameo, Jr. The said relief operation was organized

by Tingog Party-list represented by his wife Yedda Marie Romualdez.

Last Saturday’s visit was already the second wave of distribution since Nov. 9 where another thousands of families availed of food packs and hygiene kits.

PRIORITY BILLS.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (left) with his counterpart Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri showed the copies of priority bills of the House and Senate during their short meeting at the Senate. Ver Noveno

Senator Go defends Office of the President’s P8.2-billion budget

By Macon Ramos-Araneta AFFIRMING his commitment to ensure checks and balances over taxpayers’ money, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday defended the P8.2- billion budget of the Office of the President.

“Rest assured, I will safeguard the interests of the public by ensuring proper checks and balances. Every centavo must be wisely spent to help and support the Filipino nation. It is the people’s money and it is just right that the government should give it back to them,” said Go who sponsored the budget.

Wenkun executed his statement, and not during his actual arrest,” Baloyo said.

Gernace’s admission that Wenkun gave his testimony in Chinese compounded the problem since in the PNPCIDG’s complaint, neither Gernace or the notary public Atty. Olimpio Datu said that they understood the Chinese language.

The respondent argued that this becomes a “double hearsay” because Gernace reportedly based the authenticity and genuineness of Wenkun’s testimony on the interpretation of a prison inmate Albert Chua. PNA

Go also praised President Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership, calling it “honest, transparent and corrupt-free.”

He noted the President has been able to fulfill the desire of Filipinos for a just and honest leader “by laying a governance platform that centered on fighting against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality.”

Go said that the President “pursued programs that put the dignity and welfare of the Filipino people first, such as right to access better health services, to name a few.”

As former Special Assistant to the President, Go also said that he has

“seen, first-hand, the commitment and dedication of the men and women of this institution.”

“Therefore, I have no doubt that President Duterte’s office is using its budget solely for the benefit of the Filipino people,” he ended.

With no senators wishing to interpellate, Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri moved to have the OP’s budget deemed submitted and approved.

Meanwhile, Go reminded the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to abide by the President’s call to ensure that infrastructure projects under the “Build Build Build” program will

be ready for use to benefit the general public.

Go said the President himself does not want government projects to be hampered or delayed within his term.

“Dapat masigurado na maumpisahan, matapos or kahit papaano ay almost matapos bago matapos ang termino.

Ayaw ni President Duterte maiwan na nakatiwangwang,” he said.

“The public is not just after ‘Build Build Build’. They want ‘Use Use Use’,” the senator explained, adding that he will be the first one to investigate should irregularities arise from the projects,” he added.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has renewed his call to his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, to rule out a presidential bid in 2022.

In an interview with GMA News Monday night, the Chief Executive said he had already gone through the difficulties of the highest government post, which he does not want to be experienced by his daughter.

“I know what it’s like to be President. Don’t believe the clamor of the people because when the water gets rough, you find you’re the only one sailing the lonely sea,” PresidentDuterte said.

The President issued the statement despite saying in 2018, that he saw his daughter succeeding him.

Duterte previously said the presidency could both “educate” and “destroy” his eldest daughter.

Sara, who currently leads the regional political party “Hugpong ng Pagbabago,” has neither confirmed nor denied plans to seek the presidency in 2022, adding that her decision would depend on the circumstances.

Calls for the younger Duterte’s presidential bid was triggered by her substitution to her father in the banquets hosted

by Japan during the enthronement rites of Emperor Naruhito last October.

Palace personnel called her the “next President” after her father complained of “unbearable pain” in his back, prompting him to skip the ceremonies.

Meanwhile, in the same interview, Duterte also hit back at Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for saying that the administration’s infrastructure program is a “dismal failure.”

Samar road crash kills 4 soldiers, hurts 7

By Ronald O. Reyes TACLOBAN City—A fatal road crash involving three vehicles left four soldiers dead and seven others injured in Paranas, Samar on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Killed on the spot were Staff Sergeant Crisostomo Gabuay, Sergeant Sherwin Antonio, Sergeant Romel Ombrog, and Second Lieutenant Charefe Cabanog of the 8th Infantry Division in Catbalogan City.

Wounded were Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Allan Orbito, Sergent Nixon Abadiano, and Private Mat Raymond Barrantes, who were onboard a white Toyota Hilux.

Also injured were Warren Dabuet, Janica Obidos Baco, Jella Bacay Baccol, and Sheryl Sayasa Maurillo who were ridng a motorized tricycle.

Police identified the driver of the Wing van truck, bearing plate no. UVZ 951, as Elvin Millanes.

The incident happened at 9 a.m. Tuesday along the national highway of Barangay Apolonia in Paranas town.

In an initial investigation, police said the motorized tricycle was traveling ahead of the truck in the same direction, while the Toyota Hilux with army personnel onboard was travelling in the opposite direction.

The truck suddenly accidentally hit the motorized tricycle and subsequently collided into the incoming Toyota driven by Sergeant Antonio.

The collision was so strong it dragged the Toyota few meters ahead until it also crashed into a house.

The wounded victims were rushed to a hospital in Catbalogan City, while the truck driver was brought to Paranas Municipal Police Station for proper disposition.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Good news for patients in need THE Philippine Gaming Amusement Corp. will resume accepting applications for assistance to needy patients. This announcement last week

by PAGCOR chairperson Andrea Domingo is good news to many Filipinos in dire need of funds for the prohibitive cost of a major operation for their ailment.

The government-owned-and-controlled corporation temporarily stopped financial aid requests after it discovered that a couple had submitted fraudulent documents on fabricated medical cases.

The couple was charged but eventually released; PAGCOR said it would take legal action.

PAGCOR said it would process financial aid applications in coordination with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office which has a better human and organizational network in processing requests for medical assistance.

The requests will have to be endorsed and verified by the PCSO before being considered by PAGCOR for approval.

The gaming regulator started accepting walk-in applicants for medical assistance last Nov. 18.

“The primary objective of PAGCOR and PCSO coordination is to maximize aid given aid given to each patient and to harmonize the systems of both agencies,” PAGCOR said, adding this was an interim measure for responsible data sharing between the two agencies.

PAGCOR is mandated to fund socio-civic projects in the country and accepts walk in applicants at its office on United Nations Avenue in Manila from Monday to Thursday. The PCSO endorsement, however, is needed for applications to be processed by PAGCOR. It also has offices in hospital financial assistance centers.

Tipping point in HK protests The months-long demonstrations by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong have reached a tipping point. Police trying to dislodge protesters from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University fired tear gas and rubber bullets, prompting protesters to fire back with Molotov cocktails and bow and arrows.

Protesters captured by police were dragged across the ground and clubbed on the head with truncheons. A Hong

PAGCOR started accepting walk-in applicants for medical assistance this week.

Kong legislator said the situation is serious which could force China to unleash its People’s Liberation Army troops from the barracks to subdue what has become an embarrassment for Beijing. Indeed, China has gotten itself into a damned-ifyou-do, damned-if- you-don't situation.

China has warned the United States and Britain not to meddle in the Hong Kong unrest. Britain is the former colonial ruler of Hong Kong and has an agreement with China not to stifle dissent and civil liberties in the former crown colony.

As I wrote in an earlier column, this has been a time of discontent in many parts of the world—Hong Kong, Chile, Bolivia, Iraq and now Iran which has seldom seen protests since the Ayatollahs took over from the Shah. Iranians are protesting the increase in petrol prices. The oil-producing country subsidizes petrol consumption by Iranians but had to hike prices because of the economic sanctions imposed by the US to soften Tehran's stiff stand on arms nuclearization.

Iranians suspect the Iraqi hand in the current unrest in their country. But Iraq

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

E

War of the ages

ARLIER this month in New Zealand, 25-year-old member of parliament Chlöe Swarbrick was giving a speech in support of a bill to combat climate change. The Zero Carbon Bill intends to set a target of zero carbon emissions for her country by 2050.

"How many world leaders, for how many decades have seen and known what is coming but have decided that it is more politically expedient to keep it behind closed doors?" she said.

"My generation and the generations after me do not have that luxury. In the year 2050, I will be 56 years old. Yet right now, the average age of this 52nd Parliament is 49 years old."

Just then, somebody from the room—we assume an older colleague—heckled her, supposedly making a comment on her age.

“Ok, boomer,” she said, raising her hand, before returning just as swiftly to her speech.

The video soon became viral and the phrase “Ok, boomer” became a catch phrase to express the youth’s frustration with the older generation.

Certainly, it has not all been praises for the youth. Millennials—roughly those born between the years 1983 and 1996, and among which Swarbrick belongs—and even the Gen Z that comes after them are often portrayed as self-centered, restless, and who have low capacity for sacrifice.

Born into the conveniences brought by technology, these young people have never known what it is like to do painstaking work.

It’s gross generalization and purely anecdotal, but they are unapologetic over their “attitude.” Nothing wrong with it, they seem to say, as they scoff at the older generations’ attempts to lecture them or put them in their place. After all, aren’t their older counterparts responsible for the cumulative mess we now find ourselves in, with regard to the climate and

most other things? Is not their hypocrisy, their desire to keep up appearances and their and faux-morality the root of all that is wrong in the world?

The vilification of other generations, whether younger or older, does not help find solutions and foster solidarity. Both the young and the old have high stakes in our present and our future. It is true that most of today’s decision-makers belong to the older generation. They have earned it, sure, but they must not squander the opportunity to do good even when they won’t live long enough to see the results. Meanwhile, the young must acknowledge that only time will make them learned and wise. Wisdom comes not through theoretical knowledge but a firsthand experience of success and failure, even folly, but also redemption.

Let us no longer speak in contempt of those who may have a different world views and methods from us.

Instead, we should not tire of seeking a common ground and acknowledging that everyone of whatever age, whatever stripes, always has something to bring to the table.

Turn to A5

Unity in Lucio Tan’s empire I HEARD Vivienne Tan’s tearful appeal for unity when I visited the wake of Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr. Wednesday (Nov. 13) at Heritage Park.

Vivienne is taipan Lucio Tan Jr.’s daughter by his first wife, Carmen.

The taipan’s namesake and son, Lucio “Bong” Tan, was to be the heir to the top management and vast wealth of the sprawling publicly listed conglomerate LT Group which has a market value of P130 billion ($2.54 billion).

‘His most fervent wish was for peace and harmony for all of us family members.’

The businesses include airlines, banking, tobacco, property, beer, gin, and aircraft maintenance. The airline Philippine Airlines has been the most difficult to manage.

Lucio Tan Sr. owns 74.35 percent of LTG so that makes him at least $1.9 billion. Forbes lists Tan as the country’s sixth-richest with a net worth of $3.2 billion.

The brother-sister tandem of Bong and Vivienne were trying to put PAL losses under control. Under professional manager president Jaime Bautista, PAL became the world’s most improved airline and the only Philippine carrier to have a four-star rating. PAL’s massive fleet modernization and expansion came at huge but unavoidable losses.

Bong died of brain aneurysm on Monday, Nov. 11 at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, two days after he collapsed on Saturday, Nov. 9 while playing basketball, his favorite sport.

Kapitan Lucio is the youngest and the lone survivor of the six taipans who came to the Philippines from southern China just before or during World War II. Gone are: Andrew Gotianun (who died in 2016 at 89); Alfonso Yuchengco (2017 at 94), George Ty (2018 at 86), Henry Sy Sr. (Jan. 19, 2019 at 95); and John Gokongwei Jr. (who died on Nov. 9, 2019 at 93).

At Bong Tan’s wake, Vivienne shared that “he [Bong] passed away at his peak, working on making things ‘maayos’ within our families. His ways might not always have been perfect, but his intentions were always pure.”

“I now pray and ask that may his death not be in vain. His most fervent wish was for peace and harmony for all of us family members. As rumors go around these days about how things will be divided, my appeal to all sides who believe in our father’s legacy is for us to see and do things differently.

This is not a time to start planning on whose side you will be, but on helping our families unite once and for all,” the feisty Vivienne added.

“Bong dreamed of stitching all of us families together in one united, peaceful whole,” she said. “I strongly believe his dream of peace and harmony is a good dream for all of us to share. Let’s not let his dream die with him. Together, let’s honor him by taking his dream and turning it into a reality...Ahia, I know you are watching all of us and I promise you that we will not give up in continuing your efforts.”

Lucio Tan’s son by his second wife, Michael Tan, is the president-COO of LT Group Inc.. Vivienne is second in command at flag carrier PAL. Bong Tan had just been installed as president of PAL Holdings, PAL’s mother company, when he died.

Meanwhile, may I share PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna’s well-written tribute to Bong Tan: Lucio 'Bong'Tan, Jr. was the fifth child in a brood of seven children. Schooled Turn to A5

Mongolia’s ‘cleaner’ fuel linked to deaths, illness

By Khaliun Bayartsogt ONE cold night in October, Gerel Ganbaatar decided to stay with her parents in one of Mongolia's traditional ger communities on the outskirts of the capital—a decision which would prove fatal.

Within hours of arriving, she and her parents both became breathless and nauseous. They desperately called for help—but by the time medics arrived Gerel, who was four months pregnant, was already dead.

The 29-year-old's parents were using smokeless briquettes to warm their home for the first time that night: A government-issued fuel—made of coking coal from the southern Gobi region and washed coal powder—it has been linked to deaths and ill health.

Since residents started using the briquettes in October, there have been seven other deaths—mainly children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Nearly one thousand have been hospitalized in Ulaanbaatar's outer slum districts,

prompting fears the fuel can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gerel's grieving mother, Jargalsaikhan Mishigdorj, warns the fuel should be used with care.

"I have burned coal all of my life, we have never ever been suffocated," she explains.

The Mongolian government is trying to battle dangerous smog levels in one of the world's most polluted cities by trying to offer replacements for raw coal, which produces a dense, dangerous smoke, but is often used by the poor to warm their homes in a place where temperature can plummet to minus 40C. Mongolian officials say the briquettes last longer and emit fewer fumes.

Toxic air One nurse at the National Poison Emergency hospital, who declined to say her name, told AFP she had never seen the numbers of carbon monoxide poisoning patients so high.

"We are working under an enormous

amount of pressure," she says.

The city's emergency unit said issues were easing once people were told the "correct ways to burn the briquettes."

They said public service workers were spending time in the ger district to teach people about the new fuel as well as to report if any raw coal was still being used.

Its the latest example of governments in Asia struggling to find a safe, workable solution to replacing coal, in a region that is battling toxic levels of air pollution.

In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to provide cooking gas connections to millions of rural residents has been beset by corruption.

In neighboring China, three million homes near Beijing were ordered to switch from coal to gas or electric heating in 2017, but a difficult transition left many without any heating at all.

Ulaanbaatar is the world's coldest capital and only half of the residents have central heating, and Ulaanbaatar reguTurn to A5

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Opinion Winning the war on drugs ADMITTING he has gained no headway in his war against illegal drugs, President Rodrigo Duterte challenged his outspoken critic and leader of the political opposition, Vice President Leni Robredo, to take over and prove she can solve the problem on her own mettle.

He appointed her as co-chairman of the Inter-agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs.

The challenge may have been just a bluff or a double-edged political gambit, but it has gained a life of its own because she called the bluff and accepted the startling and incredulous invitation.

Despite the disparaging and condescending comments of some high administration officials and the misgivings and apprehensions of some of her own people, the vice president might just be the catalyst in finding an effective and lasting solution to the most serious crisis confronting the nation today.

Her initial moves are in the right direction. She asked to be updated on the extent and magnitude of the problem.

She wants to know who are the bringing in the merchandise. She is touching base with agencies directly involved in anti-drug operations in other countries to gain from their experience and cooperation. She is eager to know who the influential officials conniving with the drug syndicates the continued smuggling of trillions worth of crystal meth, cocaine and heroine are. The identities of the officials and agents of the judicial and law enforcement agencies who have succumbed to the blandishments of the drug syndicates should be of interest to the vice president.

Yet all these information and the entire parameters of the problem have long been available. These were not lost to President Duterte. But why did he fail to wipe out the drug menace which he promised to accomplish within his first year in office?

The war on drugs failed because the enemy is unidentified and underestimated. The war was fought on the wrong battlegrounds, against the wrong enemies, and with the wrong weapons.

The enemies are not ordinary traders of a forbidden merchandise. They are merchants of death, merciless killers with no pangs of conscience. The leaders of the syndicates are powerful and untouchable because they are filthy rich and can buy anybody. They live luxurious lifestyles and conduct their business from within the penitentiary.

The war is being fought in the courts, in the offices of customs, immigration and law enforcement agencies whose efforts are often uncoordinated and at times at cross-purposes.

Some of their agents are compromised and are made to serve as informers, assets and saboteurs.

The war has been hitting the wrong targets. Most of the over 30,000 reported casualties are poor people who took to drugs to forget their problems.

Those who were arrested on trumpedup charges or with planted evidence are victims of gross injustice. Some were gunned down for allegedly resisting arrest or for attempting to shoot it out with the arresting officers. The drug lords and dealers are hardly visited since their emissaries have earlier called the law agents bearing gifts. How can you arrest the influential officials who gave the orders to release billions worth of shabu since the order was verbal and nobody was around?

The war on drugs is not a conventional armed confrontation. It has no territorial parameters or clearly-defined rules of engagement.

The war should be fought in the minds, the hearts and souls of the peo-

Good...

From A4

claims it is Iran that has has planted spies in Baghdad, undermining its government. The two countries have gone to war before. Hostilities between the two Middle East countries could erupt again given their different religion and culture.

A war between Iran and Iraq could affect world oil prices, spiraling the cost of fuel products that could cause hardship to many nations, including the Philippines.

I gave been to Iran as part of the media that covered former President Fidel V. Ramos’ official working visit. I was able to see Ayatollah Khomeini from a distance but had a closer look at the people who were then just on the apex of their hate against the “Great Satan US” and their propaganda victory when it held hostage and then released the whole US

ple. The war has deep psychological dimensions which will require cunning and scholarship to approach.

What is needed is for the government to wage an all-out, sustained, and comprehensive information campaign.

The people should know the exact nature, effects, and magnitude of the forbidden drug substances. Heroine, cocaine, and shabu contain a chemical called dopamine which, when taken in, triggers intense pleasure, making one feel euphoric, ecstatic and foolishly joyful.

Once one becomes addicted to the drug, his brain is gradually and adversely affected. His sense of judgment, decision making, memory and ability to learn are impaired. The drugs tinker with one’s nervous system. which affects how he feels, thinks, and behaves.

These chemicals act as depressants, hallucinogens, or stimulants . They distort your sense of reality, or cause pain, over-anxiety, brain damage or death. It is when the drug dependent is deprived of his usual dose of dopamine that he loses his mind and becomes dangerous and violent. Why, despite the horrible consequences, millions become dependent on drugs?

It’s because they have not been made to understand that taking the drug is tantamount to committing suicide.

The people should be made aware of the terrifying consequences of acquiring the habit. Every family should be made to understand that anytime or any moment a member of the family gets initiated into taking the destructive and deadly substance, the entire family is in serious jeopardy. Many families have been constantly in turmoil and disarray when one member becomes drug-crazy.

The drug problem is primarily a concern of every family.

The inter-agency committee should invite the leaders of the advertising, public relations and media industries to design, frame, draw and spearhead the information campaign. They have the brightest and most gifted writers and graphic artists who can come out with the most profound and convincing messages on why people should unite and collectively confront the drug problem. If all media networks collectively, simultaneously and relentlessly undertake the information campaign, the impact will be tremendous and immeasurable. This is where social media will be most useful.

The posters, banners, pamphlets, and printed messages should be posted and displayed in all public and private establishments and showrooms. The President should issue an executive order calling on all the citizens to make their barangays drug free.

A shame campaign should also be initiated to ostracize, marginalize and publicly disgrace families or individuals suspected of being hooked on drugs or involved in its distribution.

Stiffer penalties and harsher prison treatment should be imposed on drug pushers and drug lords.

Leaders of the business community should be called upon to raise funds for the construction of more modern and adequate rehabilitation centers for drug addicts.

Drug addiction is not a physical ailment but a mental and emotional affliction. The people should be convinced that what are being sold to them are not food supplements or appetizers but poisonous chemicals which will eventually cause their death.

It is in the minds of the people where the war against illegal drugs can be won.

Ernesto G. Banawis is former general manager of the Philippine News Agency and a veteran advertising and pubic relations practitioner.

embassy staff in the Iranian capital.

Iran is a closed society where the women have to wear a veil over their face. Even the female members of the Philippine media who were with FVR had to do so. I remember Malaya's Ellen Tordesillas had to put on a veil to cover FVR's official functions.

Rey Langit, who was also with the Philippine media in the Iran trip, found time to buy a couple of suits. But Irans don’t sell or wear neckties because they think it is a symbol of colonialism that chokes their freedom. Even the Iranian delegation to the United Nations in New York cannot be compelled to wear neckties during formal occasions.

Will we see a dramatic change in Iran with the people's protests against their own leaders?

If China did not see the consequences of its extradition law that would bring suspects to Beijing, will the Iranians' protests also trigger a major upheaval in Iran?

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Is the Filipino diaspora forever?

EvEryman

By Ernesto G. Banawis

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

IT STARTED when President Ferdinand Marcos negotiated with the oil-rich and cash-awash Middle Eastern potentates to hire Filipino workers, engineers included, after the Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries hiked the world prices of petroleum.

The Middle East was on a construction binge with the excess dollars earned from their then only tradeable resource—oil. And Imelda Marcos, the peripatetic First Lady, got more and more Middle Eastern strongmen, including Libya’s Ghadaffi, to hire Filipinos, this time to include doctors and nurses.

From a few hundred thousand by the time Marcos left the political scene, the numbers have since ballooned to almost a tenth of the population. And OFWs are everywhere—in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, even Malaysia.

There is hardly any European Union member state where you will not find Filipinos working, as doctors, nurses or engineers, or even domestic helpers. And in the shipping industry, whether Greek-owned, or ships carrying the Liberian and Panamanian flags of convenience. And the luxury cruise liners of Malaysia’s Genting or Carribean and Mediterranean vessels, or the container ships and oil tankers that ply the high seas.

They are now in Australia and New Zealand, even Papua New Guinea and Palau in the Pacific.

And Africa as well, particularly oil-endowed Nigeria, or the “istan” countries of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Soon, they will work in droves in Russia, as they have begun in Mongolia. *** It is probably only in South America, similarly Catholic like the Philippines, with a work force sufficient if not in excess of labor demand, where the Filipino diaspora is not so evident.

As far back as a century before, when the Americans needed plantation workers in the volcanic fields of their Hawaiian territory, Filipino farmhands were hired. Now Filipinos, from professionals to factory workers, populate the US of A and Canada.

Unity...

When the OFW phenomenon began, I worried about when the Middle East would stop hiring our countrymen. What happens when the construction boom peters out, I thought.

But no, Filipinos now run the hotels and shopping centers that the Middle East built, even their seaports and their spanking air terminals.

The world, it seems, would never run out of jobs for OFWs. And countries facing a demographic winter, mostly from the developed and over-developed countries, will always need workers. Filipinos, being at the very least bilingual, with conversational proficiency in English, would normally fit the bill.

Upsides, downsides When I first came to Taiwan as the Philippine representative here in the middle of 2016, there were 120,000 Filipinos working in the factories.

Now the number is almost 160,000— an increase of 30 percent in a span of three years.

Last year, some $32 billion were remitted by our bagong bayani to fuel the consumption economy. That’s 1.6-trillion Philippine pesos, some 40 percent of the national expenditure budget this year.

Of course, much of this goes back to foreign countries, because our consumption-driven economy is import-dependent. We import basics such as oil from the Middle East, just as we import clothing from China, Japan, Korea, the EU and the US. Never mind the machinery that we import from Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, for these are investments to induce higher domestic productivity.

Still, could you imagine an economy not propped up by OFW remittances?

Add to this labor-only phenomenon the business process outsourcing industry, the so-named call centers without which there would be no real estate boom we have been experiencing in the last decade.

But even as the benefits to the economy are huge, there are social costs to this diaspora: broken families, wayward children lured into drugs, depression and sometimes insanity, even.

There are threats to the export of

labor such as artificial intelligence, which potentially could also negatively affect our BPOs. But that is not universally applicable to all work processes. And the initial cost would be expensive especially to less-capitalized firms.

Will the demographic winter that presently bedevils industrialized countries and which requires them to source labor from overseas cure itself within a generation?

Despite huge subsidies offered by their governments to bear children, many modern couples prefer to be childless, or at most have single progenies. The parental responsibilities which most Filipinos are adaptable to (at least for now) are alien to many foreign couples.

Apart from the social costs which we cannot overlook, there is another downside to the Filipino diaspora that even the creation of a separate Department for Overseas Workers, in the process gouging out the current DOLE cannot solve, and that is brain and brawn drain.

Our hospitals lack doctors and nurses, and this is a bane for both public and private hospitals, more so in the public system which caters to the poor and middle class. We may have legislated universal health care, but that is nothing else but a paper victory or sop for the under-privileged, with PhilHealth’s financial woes on top of the brain drain. Everyone and his mother in the medical profession would rather work abroad for more handsome pay.

Even finishing carpenters and welders, plumbers and woodworkers have become a rarity whether in NCR or the provinces. After a course in TESDA, they would rather work abroad.

And teachers as well. It is bad enough that higher emoluments in the public school system have made private schools scrounging for teachers. Exceptions are Ateneo and De La Salle, and others of their class, where tuition is affordable only to children of the affluent.

The problem would get worse when China with its 1.4-billion population opens up to English teachers and even domestic workers and caregivers.

Upsides, downsides. But as it is, given the state of our economic needs and a huge population that must feed and clothe itself, the Filipino diaspora seems unstoppable, not within my lifetime or my children’s.

in the Philippines for primary education, Bong Tan studied high school at Dunman in Singapore, then spent two years of intensive Chinese language and studies at Beijing University.

He earned his college degree at the University of California, where he majored in civil engineering, minor in mathematics, economics and linguistics. He also took up ancient Chinese classics and Mandarin in keeping with the wishes of his father.

The young Tan took his Executive Master of Business Administration program at Kellogg University via a link-up with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

After his studies, his father, Dr. Lucio C. Tan immersed Bong in the nitty gritty of the business. His involvement in the LT Group of Companies started to unfold.

He spent over two decades of his

life actively involved in the companies within the LT Group.

He served as President of PAL Holdings; Vice Chairman of Philippine Airlines; President of Tanduay Distillers Inc and Eton Properties Philippines, Inc.; director/executive vice president of Fortune Tobacco Corp.; director of AlliedBankers Insurance Corp., Philippine Airlines, Inc., Philippine National Bank, LT Group, Inc. He was also a director of MacroAsia Corp., Victorias Milling Company Inc., PMFTC Inc., Lucky Travel Corp., Air Philippines Corp., Absolut Distillers Inc., Asia Brewery Inc., Foremost Farms Inc., Himmel Industries Inc., Progressive Farms Inc., The Charter House Inc., Grandspan Development Corp. and Shareholdings, Inc. But amidst these corporate responsibilities and fancy titles, when asked to describe himself, he said "lover of life."

He loved life's simple joys. He loved a good bottle of red wine, and at times, a cup of tea to cap his day. He loved helping PAL choose the best wines for

its flights.

Basketball was his passion. Under his tutelage, Tanduay Rum won grand slam championships in the Philippine Basketball League in the 1990s. He had a sincere desire to see Filipino athletes excel and even established a Foundation to help outstanding yet financially-challenged youths excel in the sport.

He was also an active player of the PAL Basketball Team and Tanduay Basketball Team and coached the UE Warriors Basketball Team.

Not many know it, but Bong Tan was a regular at Baclaran Church in Manila every Wednesday where he spent precious time in prayer. He would also take the MRT or Metro Rail Transit when it was the most practical option.

He also shunned suits and neckties and opted to wear comfortable and colorful tops at business meetings sans socks.

That was Bong Tan. A class by himself. A lover of life which he lived to the fullest.

Mongolia’s...

tion meaning people use only wood (for fuel) can also be reasons of the 40 percent decrease," he said.

the new fuel.

It has started providing free stove repair services after issues were highlighted in the local press. The government has also promised to distribute free smoke detectors in ger districts.

While citizens say the briquettes have benefits, some remain wary.

Ger resident Turbold Sainbuyan told AFP that the new briquettes save time and last longer.

"I had to break up the raw coal, (but) the briquettes are ready to use," he says.

"Now we use one bag of briquettes for three days compared to one bag of raw coal for only one day," he adds.

His mother Enkhjargal Chuluun, a nurse at private dental clinic, said the briquettes are warmer than raw coal.

She says: "But we still have fear of suffocation, so we started opening the window at night." AFP

From A4

From A4

larly exceeds World Health Organization recommendations for air quality.

The government has been trying to force low grade coal out of commission to reduce the thick air pollution that has plagued the city.

And experts say there is evidence that the move is already having a positive impact on the environment.

Sonomdagva, associate professor at the National University of Mongolia, told AFP that PM 2.5—tiny particles that get into the lungs and bloodstream—had decreased by 40 percent compared with October last year.

"However, an incredibly long and warm autumn, plus the usage of the new refined fuel, and fear of suffoca-

Fear of suffocation Byambajargal Losol, a physicist at the Mongolian Science Academy, told AFP that he believes the smokeless briquettes are the best way to reduce air pollution—but that more needs to be done to help their safe use.

"People are using briquettes just like the old raw coal and burning it the same way," he said, adding: "The briquettes are thick and compact so they require twice as much oxygen to burn, compared to raw coal."

Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when there is restricted oxygen supply.

The state-owned factory that produces the briquettes said families should also clean their stoves before burning

biznewsasia@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

News

Standard

A6

TODAY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Mining confab attracts 150 firms, suppliers THIS year’s mining conference has attracted 150 mining companies and suppliers which is higher than the 126 that participated last year and proves the importance of the annual meet.

The Philippine Mines Safety and Environment Association is now holding the 66th Annual National Mine Safety Conference in Baguio City.

The exhibitors that will also be in the said conference numbered 135 participants compared to the 120 that logged in last year, the organizers said in a press statement.

PMSEA executive director Richmond Ramirez said the increase in the number of participants shows there are many that are interested and wanted to be part of the annual mining conference.

He said that it is not only the mining companies that showed interest in participating in the exhibit since suppliers and contractors also wanted to be in, that only showed of the healthy situation of the mining industry in the country compared to last year.

“In the past many of those who joined the exhibit are solely the mining industry, but now the number of suppliers increased, meaning they saw the big opportunity for their business due to the operation of responsible miners,” said Ramirez.

According to PMSEA president Dr. Walter Brown, the massive information education campaign launched by the mining industry was a big help since the public were informed of activities of responERRATUM sible mining and its big contribution not This refers to the SEC only to the economy but also in health, Memorandum Circular education and environmental programs.

No. 21, Series of 2019, issued by the Brown added that even if the minSecurities and Exchange Commission which was ing firms encountered problems, like published on 16 November 2019 (Saturday).

The suspension of operation and the others phrase “In the case of were ordered closed, the industry did orings” was mistakenly added under the last not show any sign that they are in the paragraph of the penalties provision (I) (D) (A). Said losing end but they showed they are phrase is not included in vibrant and the important role in the the Memorandum Circular.

For this we apologize, thus whole mining industry in the country. this erratum.

Manila

Republic of the Philippines Standard REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

TODAY

National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 107, QUEZON CITY SAMSON G. DE LEON, Petitioner, -versusCASE NO. R-QZN-18-13565-CV LIZA CONCEPCION M. AGUILAR & LCR-Manila, Respondents, x-----------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION TO: LlZA CONCEPCION M. AGUILAR - with last known address at 35 B Villegas St., SFDM, Quezon City Greetings: The petitioner prays that after due hearing, judgment be rendered declaring the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent null and void pursuant to Articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Family Code.

Pursuant to the Order dated August 6, 2019 granting the petitioner’s request to effect service of Summons by Publication, this Summons by Publication was issued in consonance with Section 14, Rule 14 of the Rules of Court.

NOW, THEREFORE, respondent, LlZA CONCEPCION M. AGUILAR - with last known address at 35 B Villegas St., SFDM, Quezon City, is hereby summoned and required to file with the Regional Trial Court Branch 107, National Capital Judicial Region, Hall of Justice Bldg., Quezon City, her answer to the instant petition within thirty (30) days from last date of publication of this summons. Failure of the respondent to file her answer within the reglementary period, this Court will direct the Public Prosecutor to investigate whether collusion exists between the parties. If the court is convinced that there is no collusion, the petitioner shall be allowed to present her evidence in support of the petition.

WHEREFORE, let this summons, together with a copy of the Petition, be published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, to be selected by raffle pursuant to P.D 1079, at the expense of the petitioner. Likewise, let a copies of the summons and the Petition be sent by registered mail addressed to tile respondent at her last known address, also at the expense of the petitioner and to submit to this court proof of compliance therewith.

WITNESS THE HONORABLE JOSE L. BAUTISTA, JR., Presiding Judge of this Court, this 20th day of August 2019, in Quezon City, Philippines .

(Sgd.) ATTY. ANIHAIRAH B. HADJI OMAR Branch Clerk of Court

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDCIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH 107, QUELON CITY SAMSON G. DE LEON, Petitioner, - versus CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN 18 -13565-CV FOR: DECLARATION OF NULLITY OF MARRlAGE LIZA CONCEPCION M. AGUILAR and the CIVIL REGISTRY OF MANILA, Respondent. x------------------------------------------x

PETITION COMES NOW, the Petitioner, Samson G. De Leon, through undersigned counsel and unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully states that: 1. The Petitioner, Samson G. De Leon, is a Filipino, of legal age, and with address at No. 25 Narra St., South Green Park Village, Tandang Sora, Quezon City, where he may be served with notices, and other processes of this Honorable Court.

2. The Respondent, Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar, is also a Filipino, of legal age, and with address at No. 35 B Villegas St., San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City, where she may be served with summons, notices, and other processes of this Honorable Court.

3. The Public Respondent, Civil Registry of Manila, is a government entity in charge of the registration of documents relating to birth, marriage, death, and adoption, and with address at the Manila City Hall, Manila, where it may be served with summons, notices, and other processes of this Honorable Court.

4. In 2016, Petitioner Samson G. De Leon discovered the existence of a simulated or fictitious Certificate of Marriage purportedly signed by him as “Husband” in a marriage ceremony with the Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar. Said certificate of Marriage was purportedly signed by the Petitioner Samson G. De Leon during a wedding in Manila. Philippines, on 15 November 2012, and registered with Public Respondent Civil Registry of Manila.

A copy of said Certificate of Marriage, dated 15 November 2012, is hereto attached as Annex “A”.

5. Petitioner Samson G. De Leon did not consent to any marriage before a solemnizing officer nor sign the said Certificate of Marriage in Manila, Philippines, on 15 November 2012.

Furthermore, Petitioner Samson G. De Leon did not also participate in a wedding or marriage ceremony with Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar on 15 November 2012 in Manila, Philippines. Moreover, Petitioner Samson G. De Leon did not also cause the registration of said Certificate of Marriage before Public Respondent Civil Registry of Manila.

6. Definitely, Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar falsified or forged the signature of Petitioner Samson G. De Leon in the afore-stated Certificate of Marriage in a wedding or marriage ceremony which never occurred or happened, and caused the registration of said Certificate of Marriage before Public Respondent Civil Registry of Manila.

7. In an Affidavit Complaint, dated 9 September 2015, Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar, under oath, exhibited her propensity to falsify or forge documents and

marriages, thus: First, in Annex “A” of the Affidavit Complaint, the Respondent stated another simulated or fictitious Marriage Contract for a marriage ceremony between the Petitioner and the Respondent on 16 January 1992 in Aurora, Quezon.

However, this marriage was not registered in the Civil Registry of Aurora, Quezon; Second. in Annex “B” of said Affidavit Complaint, the Respondent asserted a simulated or fictitious Marriage Contract for a marriage ceremony between the Petitioner and the Respondent on 21 July 1993 in Manila. However, this marriage was not registered in the Civil Registry of Manila; Third, in Annex “C” of the Affidavit Complaint, the Respondent claimed another simulated or fictitious Marriage Contract for a marriage ceremony between the Petitioner and the Respondent on 21 July 1993 in Quezon City. However, this marriage was not registered in the Civil Registry of Quezon City; and Fourth, in Annex “D” of the Affidavit Complaint, the Respondent stated different simulated or fictitious Marriage Contract for a marriage ceremony between the Petitioner and the Respondent on 21 July 1993 in Manila City Hall, Manila.

However, this marriage was not registered in the Civil Registry of Manila.

A copy of the Affidavit Complaint, dated 9 September 2015, is hereto attached as Annex “B”.

Clearly, there was no wedding or marriage ceremony between the Petitioner Samson G. De Leon and Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar. The purported marriages between Petitioner Samson G. De Leon and Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar are all simulated or fictitious marriages.

8. Petitioner Samson G. De Leon and Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar never maintained a conjugal dwelling and have no conjugal properties and have not acquired any real property in the Philippines.

9. It is clear that the subject Certificate of Marriage, dated 15 November 2012, and the marriage ceremony, is simulated or fictitious. Said Certificate of Marriage is absolutely null and void because of the lack of consent and/or true signature of the Petitioner Samson G. De Leon and the absence of any marriage ceremony. Thus, the supposed marriage of Petitioner Samson G. De Leon with Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar may be declared null and void pursuant to Articles 2, 3, and 4 of the Family Code, as amended.

WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that, after proper proceedings, judgment be rendered by: 1. Declaring the Certificate of Marriage, dated 15 November 2012, and/or the marriage of Petitioner Samson G. De Leon with Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar on 15 November 2012, in Manila, Philippines, as null and void pursuant to Articles 2, 3, and 4 of the Family Code, as amended.

2. Ordering Public Respondent Civil Registry of Manila to cancel or nullify the Certificate of Marriage, dated 15 November 2012, involving Petitioner Samson G. De Leon and Respondent Liza Concepcion M. Aguilar.

Other just and equitable remedies and reliefs are likewise prayed for.

Manila, for Quezon City, 12 October 2018.

(Sgd.) ATTY. AVERILL J. AMOR Unit 710, Trinity Building 636 T. M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila IBP No. 00477 - Life Roll, Roll of Attorneys No. 33963 PTR No. 7177348 - 2/15/18 - Manila MCLE Compliance No. V-0024209 - 11108/16 - Pasig City Email -averilijamor@yahoo.com/Cell No. 09275518349

VERIFICATlON I, SAMSON G. DE LEON, Filipino, of legal age, after having been sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and state that:

House panel OKs PTCA bill

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

PANEL in the House of Representatives has approved House Bill 1587 institutionalizing the role of Parent-Teacher and Community Associations in the total and integral development of children and the youth.

The House Committee on the Welfare of Children, chaired by Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez of Tingog Sinirangan, approved the bill known as the “Parent-Teacher and Community Associations Act of 2019.”

Rep. Yedda, and her husband, Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez principally authored the bill.

The bill proposes to amend Article 77 Chapter ll of Presidential Decree 603, otherwise known as “The Child and Youth Welfare Code”, by providing that an association of parents-teachers shall be organized by every elementary and secondary school and where appropriate, a duly recognized community group, for the development of children and the youth as well-rounded, stable and sociable persons and civic-oriented citizens.

In her explanatory note of the bill, Romual-

dez said it was imperative that an integrative and coordinative mechanism for a total children and youth development program involving parents and teachers, among others, be institutionalized and enhanced.

“In this respect, the PTCAs can serve as a powerful voice for the welfare of school children, a relevant tool for engagement by their families and the communities they live in and a strong advocate for basic education,” Romualdez said.

The bill provides that an association of parents-teachers shall be organized by every elementary and secondary school and where appropriate, a duly recognized community group, for the development of children and the youth as well-rounded, stable and sociable persons and civic-oriented citizens.

It states the PTCA shall be the forum for

TOILET DAY.

Department of Health and Manila Health Department celebrate World Toilet Day in Amadome Compound, Baseco, Port Area in Manila, with Senator Cynthia Villar CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK (middle), Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna (2nd from left) and officers from UNICEF. The aim of World Toilet Day this year is to practice hand washing properly to avoid polio which infects through fecal or oral transmission.

Norman Cruz

INVITATION TO BID 1. ORIENTAL MINDORO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (ORMECO, INC.), through its BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (BAC), hereby intends to apply the sum of Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php9,500,000.00), inclusive of all applicable taxes and fees, being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), for the procurement, supply, and delivery of vehicles; 2. ORMECO, INC.now calls for the submission of Eligibility Documents.

Submission of the same by the interested bidders must be duly received

by ORMECO, INC. BAC from 20-26 November 2019, at ORMECO, INC. Main Office, Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. Bidding documents will only be made available to the prospective bidder after it has been duly accredited by ORMECO, INC. The list of the ORMECO, INC. Eligibility Requirements may be viewed athttps://web. facebook.com/OrmecoOGMOfficial, and may be requested through email ormeco_coop@yaho.com, including the numbers listed above; 3. ORMECO, INC. now invites suppliers for the following: LOT I II III

ITEM DESCRIPTION

FUNDING SOURCE

ABC (INCLUSIVE OF VAT)

Supply of two (2) Php2,000,000.00 Service Vehicles Supply of one (1) 5% Php700,000.00 Service Vehicle Reinvestment Fund Supply of eleven (11) Utility Cargo Php6,800,000.00 Trucks

COST OF BID DOCUMENTS (NONREFUNDABLE) Php 5,000.00 Php1,000.00 Php10,000.00

1. I am the Petitioner in the above-entitled case;

4. The schedule of bidding activities is as follows:

2. I have caused the above Petition or pleading to be prepared and have read and understood the contents thereof. The allegations therein are true and correct based on my personal knowledge and authentic records;

ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE Release of Invitation 20 November 2019 (Wednesday) to Bid Submission of Letter 21-26 November 2019, Office Hours, at ORMECO, of Intent and Eligibility INC. Office of the General Manager Documents 1:00 pm for Lot I 27 November 2019 (Wednesday) at Pre-Bid Conference ORMECO, INC. Board Room 2:00 pm for Lot II and Lot III 1:00 pm for Deadline of Lot I S u b m i s s i o n , 10 December 2019 (Tuesday) at 2:00 pm for Opening, and ORMECO, INC. Board Room Lot II and Lot Evaluation of Bids III

3. I have not commenced any other action or proceeding involving the same case or issues in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or other divisions thereof, or any other court, tribunal or agency. I previously filed Civil Case No. RQZN-1713122-CV before Branch 107, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City, but said case was dismissed without prejudice; 4. Should I learn, thereafter, that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or any other court, or tribunal, I undertake to promptly inform the aforesaid courts and such other tribunal or agency of that within five (5) days therefrom.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto affixed my signature this 15 OCT 2018 day of October 2018.

(Sgd.) SAMSON G. DE LEON REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY OF MANILA ) s.s.

I certify that on this date, before me, a notary public duly authorized in the City named above to take acknowledgements, personally appeared: Name

Post-Qualification 11-12 December 2019 (Tuesday and Wednesday) Approval through Board Resolution and Second Meeting for the Month of December 2019 Issuance of Notice of Award Delivery Schedule 15 days upon receipt of Purchase Order Awarding

Per Lot

Competent Date/Place Evidence of Identity Issued Samson G. SC#24389-3 5/10/12 De Leon QC who was identified by me through competent evidence of identity to be the same person described in the foregoing instrument, who acknowledged before me that his signature on the instrument was voluntarily affixed by him for the purposes stated therein, and who declared to me that he executed the instrument as his free and voluntary act and deed.

5. ORMECO, INC. reserves the right to accept or reject any bids, declare failure of bidding and not to award the contract without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. ORMECO, INC. also has no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and affix my notarial seal on the date and at the place above written.

Signed ENGR. MICHAEL O. GUICO Chairperson Bids and Awards Committee (BAC)

Doc. No. 236 Page No. 49 Book No. XLIV Series of 2018.

3 cols. x 32 cms.

(MStandard-Nov. 20 & 27, 2019)

the discussion of problems and solutions, issues and concerns relative to such a development program, thus ensuring the full cooperation of parents, teachers and other community stakeholders in its efficient and effective implementation.

Similarly, the measure provides that all parents who have children enrolled in a school shall be considered members of its PTCA and are obliged to comply with the duties and responsibilities such membership entails.

The PTCAs all over the country shall assist municipal and other local authorities and school officials in the implementation of programs and projects and activities designed to promote the welfare and protect the rights of children and the youth, including but not limited to juvenile delinquency control measures, school achievements and related development initiatives.

Given their critical involvement in school and community affairs, the PTCAs shall be recognized as partners of the government and, as appropriate, their principal officer be designated as ex-officio members of the local school board and the legislative bodies provided for under the Local Government Code.

Certified by:

Noted by: Signed ATTY. NORBERTO M. MENDOZA Head Of Procuring Entity (HOPE)

(MS-NOV. 20, 2019)

CA dismisses habeas corpus case filed by nabbed activist

By Rey Requejo THE Court of Appeals has denied the petition for writ of habeas corpus filed by relatives of youth activist Alexandrea Pacalda, who was arrested on Sept. 14 by soldiers without a warrant in Quezon province.

In her 18-page decision dated Oct. 30, the CA’s Third Division through Associate Justice Geraldine Fiel-Macaraig said the petition for habeas corpus filed by Pacalda’s father, Arnulfo, is “devoid of merit.”

The petition was originally filed before the Supreme Court, which then issued the writ on Oct. 2, but remanded the case to the appellate court for hearing and resolution.

The SC mandated the CA to hear the case and decide whether to grant Pacalda’s release.

However, on Sept. 23, the military charged the activist of illegal possession of firearms and explosives which was followed by the Office of the Solicitor General filling a Writ of Return on Oct. 11.

Habeas corpus is a legal recourse that can be used to secure

the release of a person who is being unlawfully detained.

In ruling against the petition, the appellate court said Pacalda cannot be discharged owing to her indictment for two criminal offenses.

“Once the person detained is duly charged in court, he may no longer question his detention by a petition for the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus,” the court said.

Two cases have been filed against Alexandrea for violation of Republic Act 9516 or Illegal Possession of Explosives and RA 10591 otherwise known as “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act”.

“In fine, the petition praying for the release of Alexandrea from detention loses legal mooring, and is rendered moot and academic by the subsequent Informations filed against her before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 96 of Catanauan, Quezon in Criminal Case Nos. 19-0332-CAT and 19-0333CAT. It, thus, becomes unnecessary to pass upon the other issues raised in the petition,” the CA ruled.

DENR to protect IPs’ rights

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources has vowed to protect the rights of the indigenous peoples in Mindanao on alleged encroachment of their ancestral domain.

Secretary Roy Cimatu has ordered the investigation into the integrated forest management agreement of M&S Co. in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat be speeded up.

He tasked the agency’s legal team on the creation of a fact-finding team to look into the firm’s IFMA. The issue stemmed from the visit of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Sultan Kudarat on the IFMA issue.

“I ordered our legal team to conduct thorough investigation and give priority on this,” Cimatu said.

DENR just received the formal complaint last July, he said.

A week ago, the indigenous peoples group accused Cimatu of neglect of duty for “failing to stop the illegal operation of a coffee plantation on their ancestral domain.”

“I fully disagree with the accusation of the group because this activity happened before my time,” the DENR chief said.

On Nov. 15, the T’boli-Manobo S’daf Claimants Organization (Tamasco) filed a special civil action with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court for a legal claim.

The group said the environment agency under Cimatu violated the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act for failing to secure their consent before any activity could be done on their ancestral domain.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Navarro, Brobio top Eagle Ridge 4x4 golf tourney CONSTANTINO Navarro and Bong Brobio shot a four-day total 199 to emerge as the overall low gross team champion in the recently concluded 2019 Fore by Four Invitational tournament of the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in General Trias, Cavite.

James Lublugan and Dominic Villamor were crowned the overall net champion after scoring at the following courses: 43 at Faldo, 43 at Dye, 80 at Norman and 83 at Faldo. Their 251 in 72 holes was the best among the that played at Eagle Ridge.

The Korean lady pair of Noh Dae Soon and Noh Dae Sun also came home as big winners when they won a brand new Hyundai Reina sedan each in the grand raffle of the event presented by Sta. Lucia Land Inc. The tandem of Lindsey Salilig and Ronnie Lava was tops in Class A with a four-day haul of 220—68 at Faldo, 46 at Aoki, 45 at Dye and 66 at Norman.

Other division winners were Roberto Tapawan/Darwin Averion (B); Levi San Buenaventura/Romeo Lopez (C); Benito de Leon/Vincent Tiong (D); Eden Hernandez/Arvi Lobangco (Ladies); Erik Smith/Denny Gale (Guest) and Lee Hee Woon/Park Cheon Hoan (Member-member).

Cheq Systems, LK Golf Marketing, Hapchun Jip Homes and Turf Company were platinum sponsors with support from K&G, Pin High Golf Shop and Converge ICT. Hole in one sponsors were J-Ten Sports, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), Areza Group of Companies/ Hyundai Binan, Ogawa and Kart Plaza Manufacturing Corp.

750 Cotabato kids join Sports for Peace event NEARLY 750 kids from South Cotabato benefitted from the breakthrough partnership of Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Sports Institute and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Tuesday with the staging of the grassroots sports program of the Mindanao Sports for Peace Caravan at the Bangsa Moro ARMM Sports Complex in Cotabato.

Kids from Maguindanao 1, Maguindanao 2 and Cotabato City exceeded the estimated 500 numbers of participants that simultaneously played the sports of basketball, volleyball, chess, football, sepak takraw and athletics.

National coaches and elite athletes belong to the enlisted military personnel conducted the morning training and the mini-competition held in the afternoon.

“May isang panahon na kinikilala ang mga taga-Maguindanao tulad nina Asian Games medalist Tukal Mukalam at Mona Sulaiman sa pabilisan sa takbuhan. Pero matagal na nawala pati na rin sa mga kabataan dahil sa kailangan nilang tumakbo, hindi para sa kompetisyon kundi para sa kanilang mga buhay,” said BARMM-MBHTE Minister Hon. Monaguer A. Iqbal-Al-Haj. “Nagpapasalamat kami sa PSCPSC at AFP sa pagbibigay ng bagong direksiyon sa buhay ng ating mga kabataan na hindi na sila tatakbo para iligtas ang kanilang buhay, kundi ang pag-asa na mabigyan at matikam naman nila ang isang magandang buhay,” said BSC-BARMM Chairman Norhan Malaguiok Uka. AFP General Services Chief Colonel Taharudin Piang Ampatuan praises PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez for fully supporting the caravan which aims to visit a total of 17 provinces in the hope of bridging education and sports in achieving a lasting peace and security in Mindanao.

“We want to accomplished three objectives here in aiming to encourage our kids into sports and educate them, then get them away from the call of the conflict here in Mindanao, and see them as being considered as young promising athletes that could be recruited by good schools and become national players,” said Ampatuan.

Earlier, that PSC0PSI-AFP partnership conducted a one-day sports and leadership seminar to some 50 Ate and Kuya that serves as caretakers of the participating kids.

PSC Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey, who represents Chairman Ramirez, handed the awards to the winners of the mini-competition of the six events held in the afternoon.

Tabora 10th in Bowling World Cup

The UST Tiger Paddlers scored a 3-0 romp of University of the Philippines before returning in the afternoon session with a 3-1 victory over National University.

UST tablenetters head straight to UAAP finals U NIVERSITY of Santo Tomas jumped straight to the Finals of the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Table Tennis Tournament after completing a 14-0 elimination sweep Monday at the Blue Eagle Gym. The Tiger Paddlers scored a 3-0 romp of University of the Philippines before returning in the afternoon session with a 3-1 victory over National University.

UST remains on course of winning back-to-back and a record 28th crown.

Despite losing twice in the final day of the eliminations, the Bulldogs (11-3) will still have the twice-to-beat bonus in the step-ladder semifinals for being ranked No. 2.

NU suffered a shock 2-3 loss to Adamson University in the morning ses-

sion.

De La Salle finished strong in the eliminations after identical 3-0 wins over Ateneo and University of the East.

The Falcons then tied with the Green Paddlers at 9-5 following a 3-0 tripping of the Blue Eagles.

De La Salle and Adamson University clash in a do-or-die tie at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The winner will face the Bulldogs at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The best-of-three Finals will be played on Wednesday starting at 9 a.m.

Meanwhile, back-to-back title-seeking University of Santo Tomas avenged its lone loss of the season with a 3-1 conquest of Ateneo Monday at the Blue Eagle Gym. The Tigress Paddlers swept the second round of the eliminations and finished with a league-best 13-1 record.

UST, which defeated University of the East, 3-0, earlier in the day, will face Far Eastern University in the Final Four at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

Ateneo stunned De La Salle, 3-0, in a playoff to secure the remaining twiceto-beat slot in the Final Four. The vastly-improved Lady Eagles and the Lady Paddlers ended the elims with identical 11-3 records.

Ateneo placed sixth last year.

THE Philippines’ Krizziah Tabora scored a six-game series of 1194 pinfalls to check in 10th at the opening of the Bowling World Cup international finals Monday in Palembang, Indonesia.

Tabora, the international ladies’ titlist two years ago in Hermosillo, Mexico, shot games of 199, 203, 211, 181, 208 and 192 to average 100.

The Philippines’ men’s entry, 20-year-old Merwin Tan, ranked 23rd after shooting 1198 in six games. Tan, who finished 11th in last year’s competition at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, Nevada, put together games of 183, 225, 210, 200, 191 and 189.

South Africa’s Francis Louw led the men’s field with 1345 while Malaysia’s Natasha Roslan showed the way in the ladies’ division with 1306.

Seventy-three men and 60 women are disputing the prestigious world crown, where legendary Paeng Nepomuceno holds the distinction of being the only bowler to have won the men’s title four times so far.

The participants will bowl six games daily for four days with the top 24 bowlers in each division advancing to the second stage.

The Tigresses and the Lady Eagles need only to win once to make it to the best-of-three championship series on Wednesday. The deciding Final Four tie, if needed, will be played at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Lady Tamaraws claimed the last semifinals berth after hurdling the last two elimination round matches.

Prior to scoring a narrow 3-2 win over De La Salle that sealed a semis duel with UST, FEU opened the day with a 3-0 decision of Adamson University.

In the morning ties, the Lady Eagles beat National University, 3-0, while the Lady Paddlers downed University of the Philippines, 3-0.

The Tigresses are gunning for a 14th championship.

Yanson to push for more development programs

Ricardo ‘Ricky’ Yanson, Jr.

IN HIS capacity as president of the Negros Occidental Football Association, Ricardo “Ricky” Yanson, Jr., has steered his province into a top-level football association with various football development programs that have produced quality players that have gone to represent the country as members of national youth teams.

Now, Yanson desires to take his advocacy of “Football Para sa Lahat” to the next level by pushing for more football development programs in his bid as president of the Philippine Football Federation.

Yanson explained that this move is also prompted by the lack of national age-group tournaments.

“Sadly, in the previous years, we have not seen enough of these... And the PFF has not invested enough resources, to grow the game, especially in the regions,” said Yanson during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association

Forum at the Amelie Hotel in Manila.

Stakeholders from Mindanao and Luzon have echoed the same sentiments as Yanson’s.

Central Luzon Football Association (CLFA) General Secretary Ed Flaminiano said at the launch of the Luzon Cup Under-12 tournament (that NOFA is co-organizing with CLFA from November 21 to 24, 2019,), “For the past three years, there have been no tournaments in Central Luzon…”

Philippine Sports Commission Executive Director Attty. Guillermo Iroy, himself a former national football player in the late 1980s, gave a similar remark at the Mindanao Cup that NOFA co-organized with the Davao South Regional Football Association last October. “For a time, there was no regional football tournament that involved all the regional FAs in Mindanao. There was a ‘lag’ for a long time.”

To address these concerns, Yanson

plans to strengthen collabortion with FAs whom he sees as the strong factor to widening and deepening the pool of local football talent. “Under a new administration, there will be deeper involvement by the football associations, in the plans and programs of the PFF. “We envision more age-group tournaments for boys and girls in the coming years…

We intend to support this with more training programs for coaches, trainers, referees, and other match officials. And we will work for the construction of more football and futsal fields, to give our children opportunities to play more and better football.

“With the FAs, we intend to forge more partnerships with government agencies like the Deped, socio-civic groups, the religious and the academe, and private companies, to raise more funds and support.”

Araneta: Grassroots, age-group players not neglected PHILIPPINE Football Federation president Nonong Araneta on Tuesday took offense at sweeping statements made by PFF presidential aspirant Ricky Yanson, who claimed that grassroots and age-group players have been neglected during Araneta’s term in the last eight years.

Araneta, a former national team player and coach, who was first elected PFF president in 2011, expressed disappointment over the current Negros Occidental Football Association president’s pronouncements which came after the former reiterated his bid to win the PFF presidency.

The PFF elections is part of the agenda during the PFF Congress on Nov. 29 when 32 regional associations under the federation will vote for the person to lead football in the next four years.

“Sorry for the term, but napabayaan (neglected) ang grassroots,” said Yanson.

But Araneta said his administration had not been remiss in the grassroots aspect of the sport in the country.

“If I trusted Ricky enough, I would not

have ran for president again,” said Araneta, who also pointed out that Yanson has some governance issues in his own organization.

“We have to keep the momentum going for Philippine football. Most of the PFF’s programs are already in place, including the Philippines Football League which is about to gain a new sponsor. More sponsorships will allow us to give more to grassroots as well.”

Araneta found irony at the fact that Yanson did not even call a single meeting for the PFF grassroots committee of which Yanson has been chairman since 2015.

“The NOFA Cup is an initiative in his capacity as NOFA president, but what about programs from the PFF grassroots committee?,” Araneta questioned.

“We have programs for the grassroots, but it was not crafted by the committee that (Ricky) heads because he has not even called a single meeting for his committee.”

Araneta complimented Yanson for holding his own tournaments, but stressed

that running the PFF is more than just spending and organizing for two to threeday events.

“There is a governance aspect in running the affairs of football in the Philippines,” said Araneta.

“The problem is that Ricky has his own issues within NOFA. He has not called a single meeting in his own organization.

He was due to call an election late last year or early this year, but he has not done it. Ricky was also absent in the last two meetings of the PFF Board of Governors and the last one was actually held in Bacolod City where he lives. How can he run football in this country when he can’t even fix his own backyard.”

Araneta said the PFF has existing Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Eduction in promoting and developing the game in public schools.

“It seems that Ricky is not aware of this,” Araneta added.

The PFF has also launched the Training Area Development program in Bacolod and Bukidnon with Japanese youth devel-

Nonong Araneta

opment consultant Reiji Hirata at the helm. Under this program, 30 select youth players are trained by coaches weekly. “We have been investing in youth football,” said Araneta.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@manilastandard.net sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

Sports

Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook glides to the hoop against Portland Trail Blazers during their game won by Houston, 132-108. AFP

Blue Eagles go for all the marbles THE defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles are in for their toughest battle of the season.

That’s when the Blue Eagles go all out for the crown in Game 2 of the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball finals.

But the Growling Tigers are not expected to go down that easily as they continue their quest for a 19th title when action begins at 4 p.m. today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Game 1 of the women’s finals between the defending champion National University and the UST Tigresses with start at 12 noon.

“We know we’re in for a really tough game on Wednesday. The one thing we’ve been talking about since we knew UST was our opponent was that teams that Aldin (Ayo) coaches don’t ever quit. They don’t ever back down. While the next game is the second half for us, it’s Game 2 for them,” said Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin.

In Game 1, forward Thirdy Ravena was a big headache to the opposing team when he led with 32 points and went 14 of 18 from the field during the Blue Eagles’ 91-77 toppling of UST. It was the second highest output for the season, with La Salle’s Jamie Malonzo banging in the highest at 34 points when the Green Archers put away the Adamson Falcons, 89-63, at the end of the eliminations.

While many of UST’s three-pointers were not falling and finding their mark in Game 1, UST coach Aldin Ayo said they have addressed this situation in their preparations.

“Thirty-four percent? Forty shot attempts? Well, that’s our game. We are not going to change that. Kung titignan mo yung Ateneo, if you want to beat them, you have to make those threes,” said Ayo. The Growling Tigers will be making effort to stop the Blue Eagles’ winning streak, and force a deciding Game 3 on Saturday.

The Blue Eagles are after their third consecutive crown since 2017.

The Blue Eagles won’t just be counting on Ravena in Game 2. They will be asking other teammates like SJ Belangel, Angelo Kouame and the Nieto brothers Matthew and Mike to help out.

Baldwin added that the team’s fitness has been challenged since the Blue Eagles’ game has been fast-paced since the eliminations. Peter Atencio

Letran Knights back atop NCAA throne

By Peter Atencio

T

HE Letran Knights lost two key players to cramps but leaned on the defensive heroics of Jerrick Balanza to upset defending champion San Beda Red Lions, 81-79, and snatch the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball crown after Game 3 yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Mainstays Bonbon Batiller and Finals MVP Fran Yu were carried out after being sidelined by cramps. Batiller returned to the fray in time to distract a three-point attempt by Evan Nelle at the buzzer, allowing the Knights to claim their 18th crown since 1938.

Balanza banged in a game-high 15 points for the Knights, who wrested the title in almost the same way when they last won at the Red Lions expense, and with Aldin Ayo still calling the shots back in 2015.

The Knights put the Red Lions in an unfamiliar situation when they took the upper hand at halftime, 44-38, off a layup and triple from Ato Ular and Allen Mina.

And they held on to the lead, and pulled away by as much as 13 points off King Caralipio’s two freebies, 69-59, in the closing minutes of the third.

Yu, who had eight points, put the Knights beyond reach with his two free throws with 15.9 seconds.

But, Nelle brought the San Beda back within range with the last of his two treys,

79-81, with 13 ticks to go.

Meanwhile, Justin Sanchez fired 19 and had seven rebounds to lead the San Beda Red Cubs to a record 24th championship in the junior division.

One of eight graduating players in the team, Sanchez struck with nine points in the third period as the Red Cubs coasted to a 98-77 swamping of Lyceum Junior Pirates in Game 3 of their best-of-three finals.

Jay Ynot, who is also on his final year, added 18 points and eight rebounds for the Red Cubs, and he hit eight points in the first period Ynot’s triple came as the Red Cubs overtook a 10-14 deficit with an 11-0 rally, and moved away, 21-14, with 2:23 left.

“Sinabihan ko sa mga boys pagkatapos naming matalo ng Game 2. Napressure kasi at daming pumasok sa isip. Naniwala lang kami sa isa’t isa at di kami bumitiw,” said Red Cubs coach Manu Inigo.

TNT battles SMB for edge in PBA playoffs

By Jeric Lopez WHO will grab the final twice-to-beat incentive going into the quarterfinals?

That will be answered as slumping teams TNT KaTropa and San Miguel Beer get the chance to redeem themselves with a spot in the top four at stake in the final elimination round playdate of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The Tropang Texters (7-3) and the Beermen (6-4) go all out for a slot in the top four in their highly-anticipated 7 p.m. clash at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City tonight.

Already a lock at No. 2, NLEX (8-2) just looks to gain momentum heading to the quarters when it faces Alaska (4-6), who will be fighting for an outright berth in the next round, at 4:30 p.m.

The Road Warriors, win or lose, will be the top seed in the quarters and already own a twice-to-beat incentive.

The Aces need to win to formalize their entry to the quarters and move up to No. 7, sliding NorthPort to No. 8.

A loss for the Aces sends them to a playoff for the last quarters ticket against Columbian Dyip.

The victor between San Miguel and TNT will be guaranteed TNT KaTropa guard Rayray Parks (0) tries to dribble past Magnolia a spot in the top four, and the coveted twice-to-beat incentive, Hotshots Pambansang Manok defender Rafi Reavis. PBA Media while the loser slides to No. 5 and will have a twice-to-win disstart but had suddenly struggled, losing three in a row despite advantage instead in the next phase.

The Tropang Texters and the Beermen both started out the the acquisition of prized rookie Bobby Ray Parks.

On the other hand, San Miguel, after starting with a 4-0 slate, conference on fire.

TNT blazed hot with a seven-game winning streak for a 7-0 had only managed to win two of its last six games.

MPBL flies to Canada on Christmas Day

WINNING SMILE. A member of the Houston Rockets cheer dancers is all smiles after performing during the game between the Rockets and Portland at Houston’s Toyota Center. AFP

THE Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League is spreading its wings and going international again.

Apart from touring around the country and holding regular Lakan Season games in Dubai in September, the MPBL is set to transport its brand of action in Canada this December.

This was announced by league founder and CEO Senator Manny Pacquiao, during halftime of the Makati Super Crunch-Muntinlupa Cagers tussle at the Makati Coliseum.

The eight-division world champion, MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and deputy commissioner Zaldy Realubit signed the memorandum of agreement with the event organizers on Friday.

Due to the enormity of the undertaking, a first for local cage leagues, WYZMYND Events Production Inc., HKJ Productions and Witmichel Corporation are pooling their resources to guarantee its success.

The San Juan Knights, the MPBL Datu Cup champions, the Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines and

the Imus Khaleb Shawarma Bandera have been chosen to play in Alberta, Canada, particularly the cities of Calgary and Edmonton.

There’s a catch though, the bulk of the MPBL contingent will have to leave on Christmas Day, returning on December 29 and arriving in the country on New Year.

Patterned after the MPBL Dubai Invasion, where the Batangas City Athletics, the inaugural Rajah Cup titlist, the Davao Occidental Tigers, and the Bandera, who boast actor Gerald Anderson in their fold, the Canada tour will have two regular Lakan Season games.

Since there are only three teams in the fold, Zamboanga will have to play twice on December 27 and 28 with San Juan and Imus seeing action only once.

Pacquiao will also be bringing along some stalwarts of the MPBL of his choice to play in exhibition games against local selections. Duremdes and MPBL Operations Head Emer Oreta will be part of Pacquiao’s All-Stars.

Westbrook, Harden tow Rockets past Trail Blazers LOS ANGELES, United States—James Harden scored 36 points and Russell Westbrook bagged a triple double as the Houston Rockets extended their red-hot winning streak to eight games with a 132108 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday (Tuesday Philippine time).

Harden, fresh from a 49-point display in Saturday’s win over Minnesota, was once again in commanding form against a Portland team who were always second best at Houston’s Toyota Center.

The 2017-2018 NBA Most Valuable Player also had six rebounds and five assists as the Blazers struggled to contain the Rockets’ multi-pronged offense.

Westbrook tormented the Portland defense, finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on a night when all five Houston starters finished in double figures.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni praised the contribution of Westbrook.

“Russell had an extra gear tonight, but it’s hard to single out one guy,” D’Antoni said. “They’re all playing well.”

The Rockets coach reserved special praise for Harden though, once again repeating his belief that the 30-year-old is the best offensive player he has ever seen.

“I’m lost for words,” D’Antoni said.

“What he does is unbelievable... No matter what the other teams try to do, double-team or whatever, he just figures it out. It’s incredible what he’s doing.”

The win saw the Rockets improve to 11-3 at the top of the Western Conference, neck-and-neck with the pace-setting Los Angeles Lakers (11-2).

C.J. McCollum led the scoring for Portland with 25 points, but team-mate Damian Lillard was kept quiet with only 13 points. Portland fell to 5-9 with the defeat.

In Dallas, Luka Doncic scored a career-high 42 points and bagged a triple double to guide the Mavericks to a 117110 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The 20-year-old Slovenian is the second youngest player in history to score a 40-point triple double after LeBron James.

“It’s not surprising to me,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

“This guy can do anything he wants to on a basketball court. And you know, he’s having just one of those magical runs right now, and it’s a phenomenal thing to watch. It’s a phenomenal thing to be a part of. His teammates, we’re all just kind of along for the ride.”

In Los Angeles, Paul George scored 17 points against his former team as the Clippers eked out a nail-biting 90-88 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. AFP

Young leads World Seniors chess tourney FILIPINO International Master (IM) Angelo Young (elo 2288) defeated Georgian Grandmaster (GM) Zurab Sturua (elo 2540) to flex his muscles in the FIDE World Seniors 2019 Chess Championships at the Rin Grand Hotel in Bucharest, Romania.

Young subdued Sturua in their Czech Benoni defense encounter Monday night. The latter resigned after 74 moves.

The win gave the 31st-seeded Filipino a share of first place with 5.5 points alongside Grandmaster (GM) Vladislav Nevednichy (elo 2518) of Romania, winner over countryman Grandmaster (GM) Mihail Marin (elo 2521).

“Angelo Young strikes again by claiming his third GM scalp by upsetting Georgian veteran GM Zurba Surua in the sixth round of the World Seniors. He ties Vladislav Nevednichy for the lead with 5.5/6. Both face each other in round 7.” said veteran journalist and chess commentator Ignacio “Iggy” Dee. “(Angelo) Young, who appeared to have squandered a big edge by choosing to enter a rook ending instead of forcing lines, proved doubters wrong by squeezing out the win against the former 50 and above champ in a 74-move Czech Benoni,” said Dee. Thirteen-time Philippine Open Champion Grandmaster (GM) Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (elo 2427) settled for a truce with Israeli Grandmaster (GM) Ram Soffer (elo 2485) in 37 moves of CaroKann defense.

The draw enabled the former University of Manila standout Antonio to raise his score to 4.5 points in six outings in the 50-and-above category. Antonio shares 6th to 17h placers.

Antonio’s trip is sponsored by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by its chairman/president rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chair and CEO Andrea Domingo, Prage Management Corporation, Xavier School, Mr.Roger Py of Gibi Shoes, engineer Antonio “Tony” Carreon Balinas, San Juan City Chief of Police Col. Jaime Osit Santos and Woman International Master (WIM) Cristine Mariano-Wågman.

IN BRIEF

LandBank, Manila sign P10-b loan deal

STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines, the fourth-largest lender in terms of assets, recently signed a P10-billion loan agreement with the city government of Manila to upgrade health, educational, tourism and public service facilities.

The bank said in a statement Tuesday the loan agreement was signed on Nov. 11, 2019 under LandBank’s Omnibus Term Loan Facility. The bank said the agreement would complement Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s campaign to clean up the streets of the capital city from garbage and eyesores.

The loan facility will be used to finance the construction and renovation of the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila School of Medicine Building, the new City Hall building and the Manila Sky Deck.

Also included are the rehabilitation of Manila Zoo and the development of Pandacan depot into a commercial district, and the acquisition of equipment, furniture and fixture for these projects.

Julito G. Rada

Business

BOP posted surplus of $163m in October

THE country’s balance of payments position posted a surplus of $163 million in October, a reversal from the $458-million deficit recorded in the same month last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Tuesday.

“Inflows in October 2019 reflected the increase in the national government’s net foreign currency deposits and BSP’s income from its investments abroad. These inflows were offset, however, by outflows representing payments made by the NG on its foreign exchange obligations during the month in review,” the BSP said in a statement.

The BOP position from January to October this year stood at a surplus of $5.73 billion, a turnaround from the $5.59-billion deficit recorded in the first 10 months of 2018.

“The surplus may be attributed partly to personal remittance inflows from overseas Filipinos and net inflows of foreign direct investments,” it said.

“The BOP position reflects the final gross international reserves level of $85.83 billion as of end-October 2019.

At this level, the GIR represents a morethan-ample liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.5 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income,” the bank said. Julito G. Rada

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

B1

By Jenniffer B. Austria

AYALA LAND BOND LISTING. Ayala Land Inc. lists a fresh tranche of fixed-rate bonds valued at P10 billion on Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. The company’s third offering for the year, under a new P50-billion debt securities program with the Securities and Exchange Commission, highlights its plan to lead the way for more retail investment options via the capital market.

Leading the ringing of the bell on Nov. 6 at PDEx are (from left) ALI senior division manager Jose Emilio Jamir, BDO Capital president Eduardo Francisco, ALI chief finance officer, chief compliance officer and treasurer Augusto Bengzon, Philippine Depository & Trust Corp. president and COO Maria Theresa Ravalo, PDEx president Antonio Nakpil, China Bank Capital president Ryan Martin Tapia and BPI Capital associate director Reinier Llige.

DOE slaps one-month suspension on Semirara

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Department of Energy imposed a one-month selective coal trading suspension and fines against integrated mining company Semirara Mining and Power Corp. for allegedly violating coal trading rules.

SMPC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday that it received a DOE resolution dated Oct. 15, 2019 finding SMPC in violation of a department circular and imposing penalties on the matter.

“The corporation shall file its motion to the DOE seeking reconsideration of the said resolution. Moreover, considering that the said resolution is not yet final and executory, being subject to a motion for reconsideration, the company shall continue its coal trading activities to serve its existing customers,” SMPC said.

The department imposed a one-

month suspension against SMPC for reportedly violating Section 7.2 of the circular due to coal trading or transaction with Gold Anchorage, an unaccredited coal trader “except deliveries of SMPC-owned power plants and other local power plants with existing coal supply agreements.”

It also slapped a P1.735-million fine against SMPC for violating Section 3 of the circular over alleged unabated and continuous coal trading despite suspension of its accreditation.

SMPC earlier disclosed that it supplied 4,768.73 metric tons of Semirara coal to Gold Anchorage on May 23 as

trial shipment. The buyer issued assurances to SMPC that it had submitted and applied for a coal accreditation certificate with the DOE on April 5.

Under the rules, the DOE will either issue a certificate of accreditation or reject the application.

On shipment date, the buyer was unable to submit the said accreditation as it was still pending with the DOE. SMPC said it then discontinued its supply and any trading with the said buyer.

The department also ordered SMPC to clarify claims of illegal coal trading operations at Pulupandan Port in Pulupandan, Negros Occidental and to cease and desist operations there until it received further notice from the regulator.

SMPC submitted its verified answer to the DOE on July 5 and sought the immediate lifting of the cease and desist order/suspension and the non-imposition of any administrative fine.

ENERGIZED.

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines successfully energizes the 300-megavoltampere Transformers 1 and 2 in its Toril Substation, a part of the Mindanao 230-kilovolt backbone project.

The new substation equipment will boost the voltage requirements of the area and maintain the quality and reliability of power transmitted to power customers in Mindanao.

Radisson Hotel expanding to Cebu, Bacolod

By Othel V. Campos THE Radisson Hotel Group is expanding its presence in the Philippines with the development of two more hotels in Mandue City, Cebu and Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Once completed, the two hotels will bring the group’s total inventory to 1,390 rooms by 2022.

Radisson Hotel vice president for operations in Southeast Asia and Pacific Andre de Jong said the expansion would comprise the first part of a twophase, five-year transformational plan under the so-called “Destination 2022” program.

The plan seeks to triple the business in the region, with the Philippines playing a significant part on the expansion.

“We are on track on achieving that plan for the region. The Philippines is an important player in a sense that it comes next to China and India in terms of number of hotels,” de Jong said.

The group will be opening Park Inn

by Radisson in Bacolod City in 2020 and the Radisson RED Mandaue by 2022.

Together, these two new assets will add 390 to the existing 1,100 rooms from five properties operated by the Radisson Group in the Philippines.

The group is also considering expanding to secondary and tertiary locations outside the bustling and cramped metropolis in Metro Manila.

These include sites like Baguio and other locations frequented by tourists.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Vista Land, Mitsubishi unit team up to build condo project

PetroGreen obtains Palawan wind contract

THE Department of Energy officially awarded to PetroGreen Energy Corp. of the Yuchengco Group a service contract to develop a wind project in San Vicente, Palawan province.

The wind energy service contract, which took effect October 9 and received by PGEC on November 11, grants the company with the rights and responsibilities to harness wind energy and develop and operate the corresponding renewable energy facility in the area.

The proposed project is situated in the municipality of San Vicente, Palawan, approximately 130 kilometers north of Puerto Princesa.

“The eco-tourism growth in San Vicente and adjoining towns, the lack of reliable power supply, and the strong support by the provincial and municipal governments for environment-friendly energy facilities drive our decision to invest in San Vicente, Palawan,” said PGEC deputy chief operating officer Maria Victoria Olivar.

“With the award of the service contract, we will proceed with our feasibility studies to ascertain the commercial viability of the block,” she said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

AC Energy approves plan to build 60-MW Zambales solar plant THE board of Ayala-controlled AC Energy Philippines on Tuesday approved the plan to build a 60-megawatt solar power plant in Palauig, Zambales.

AC Energy of Ayala Corp. said the solar project would be constructed by subsidiary AC Energy Development Inc. and would be completed by 2020.

The company said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board also approved additional short-term credit lines of up to P8 billion.

It also ratified the executive committee’s approval to enter into a share purchase agreement with the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure fund for the acquisition of the latter’s stake in Philippine Wind Holdings Corp., the parent company of North Luzon Renewables Energy

Corp. which owns and operates an 81-MW wind farm in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

AC Energy Philippines acquired PINAI’s stake in PhilWind for P2.7 billion. PhilWind directly and indirectly owns 67 percent of North Luzon Renewables, through its 38-percent direct interest and 28.7-percent indirect interest through subsidiary Ilocos Wind Energy Holding Co. Inc. AC Energy Philippines said its board also approved the purchase of up to 100 percent of PINAI fund’s ownership interest in San Carlos Solar Energy Inc., which owns and operates a 45-MW solar farm in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental that is operating under the feed-in-tariff regime.

The board approved the purchase

of up to 100 percent of PINAI fund’s ownership interest in Negros Island Solar Power Inc. which owns and operates the 80-MW solar farms in Negros Occidental.

AC Energy Philippines’ parent firm AC Energy Inc. previously announced plans to invest $1.2 billion of equity in 2020 to enable 1,500 MW of domestic and international power projects.

AC Energy is looking at putting up a total of 400 MW which includes the Alaminos solar project, Luzon solar project, Luzon wind project and Ingrid (Pililla) peaking plant.

It is also developing 400 MW of solar projects in Australia and 300 MW in Vietnam.

The company is also eyeing 400 MW of power projects in India and Myanmar. Alena Mae S. Flores

VISTA Land & Lifescapes Inc., the real estate arm of the Villar group, said it teamed up with Mitsubishi Estate Co. Ltd., a leading comprehensive real estate developer in Japan, to develop a mixed-use condominium project along Taft Avenue in Manila.

Vista Land said in a statement the partnership was being formed through a 60:40 joint venture company between vertical development arm Vista Residences Inc. and MEC’s subsidiary Mitsubishi Estate Residence Co. Ltd. “This joint venture is a testament to the increasing trust and confidence of customers and investors alike in Vista. It highlights our growing profile not just with buyers but also with existing and potential partners, both here and abroad,” Vista Land president and chief executive Manuel Paolo Villar said.

This will be the MEC Group’s first residential development project in the Philippines.

It is VRI’s fourth project in the Taft Ave. area and is a part of the company’s rapidly growing university series―a line of vertical developments in high-density, student-oriented locations.

“This joint venture brings together two of the largest real estate firms from different parts of Asia. Our strong track record of over 40 years in residential and commercial development nationwide, together with the MEC Group’s comprehensive spectrum of businesses in diverse fields related to real estate, will create a high-rise condominium which reinforces our vision of offering homes that foster good relationships and building communities that answer the needs of Filipino families,” Vista Land chairman Manuel Villar, Jr. said.

The planned 32-story condominium offers more than 1,000 units, plus seven floors of parking spaces and a ground floor featuring various commercial establishments.

It is set to be launched in the first half of 2020, with turnover targeted in the second half of 2024.

PHirst Park Homes to launch 2 projects in Laguna, Batangas CENTURY Properties Group Inc. said its affordable housing unit plans to launch two more house-and-lot developments in Laguna and Batangas that will generate P3.5 billion in revenues.

CPG said in a statement the two projects of PHirst Park Homes Inc. would initially offer 1,912 units.

“We are launching two more projects before the end of the year in line with our goal of rolling out 33,000 homes by 2023,” PPHI president Ricky Celis said.

“With the consistently strong market demand, PHirst Park Homes continues to be bullish in expanding its footprint in key growth centers in Luzon. We hope families can also take advantage of the opportunity this season to own a brand-new house and lot at a very good price” he said.

The residential project in Laguna is located in a nine-hectare property in Calamba with 891 units slated for launching on Nov. 23 while the project in Batangas is situated in a 13-hectare lot in Nasugbu, Batangas with 1,021 units to be offered to homebuyers by December 2019.

PHirst Park Homes currently has four existing projects in Pandi (Bulacan), Tanza (Cavite), Lipa (Batangas) and San Pablo (Laguna).

With the addition of the two projects, PPHI collectively launched 117 hectares of property with a total of 10,839 units valued at P19 billion.

The company already completed 517 units and sold 4,630 homes valued at P7.7 billion as of October 2019.

PPHI said it was redefining the affordable housing segment in the Philippines by integrating the 4Cs in all its developments: complete, conceptive, connected and convenient.

Jenniffer B. Austria

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks climb on bargain-hunting T HE stock market rose Tuesday on bargain hunting following another record close on Wall Street overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index gained 31.20 points, or 0.4 percent, to 7,912.14 on a value turnover of P6.2 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 100 to 88, with 50 issues unchanged.

LT Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Lucio Tan, advanced 6.7 percent to P12.42, while Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 1.6 percent to P94.

BDO Unibank Inc., the largest bank, rose 1.6 percent to P157.40, while DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group added 1.5 percent to P7.62.

The rest of Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday as investors bet on China and

the US reaching a mini trade deal despite a report saying Beijing was concerned about the chances of an agreement.

Hong Kong extended Monday’s rally with another surge but continuing protests in parts of the city—particularly a violent standoff at a university—remained a source of worry.

Regional traders were given another strong lead from Wall Street, where all three main indexes ended at new records on hopes for a good holiday shopping season with the key Black Friday sales day coming next week.

World equities have broadly been on the rise in recent weeks on optimism that the world’s top two economies will eventually hammer out a mini trade deal as part of a wider agreement.

However, there have been bumps in the road and the latest came Monday when CNBC reported that China was pessimistic about the chances of a pact

because Donald Trump is not in favor of rolling back tariffs.

Trump last week denied claims by Beijing that the two sides had put in place a plan to remove levies as the talks progress.

The report again highlighted the fragile nature of the negotiations.

“Investors have little option but to keep pace with the rapid shifts on the US-China phase-one deal, attempting to make sense of the many comments— official and from press ‘sources’—on whether a rollback was now genuinely on the table,” said Stephen Innes at AxiTrader. “Ultimately they remain hostage to these developments.”

However, he said the broad gains on Tuesday meant “it looks like (investors) are starting to take trade headlines with a barrel of salt.”

In early trade, regional markets swung in and out of positive territory.

Shanghai jumped 0.9 percent, Sydney piled on 0.7 percent and Taipei rallied 0.5 percent, while Wellington was up 0.2 percent. Jakarta and Mumbai also enjoyed gains.

But Tokyo ended 0.5 percent lower, Singapore lost 0.6 percent and Seoul shed 0.3 percent, while Bangkok was slightly lower.

National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril said he was still betting on an agreement being reached.

“The negotiations remain ongoing (and) a phase-one deal looks more likely than not, but as usual the devil will be in the detail,” he said in a commentary.

“The more tariff rollbacks we get, the better for market sentiment and global growth outlook.”

A decision by Washington to delay by another 90 days a ban of US firms from doing business with China’s Huawei provided support. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review tueSday, noveMBer 19, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK VANTAGE

54.65 95 1.89 155 25.3 13.1 4.33 0.395 67 0.87 12.8 42.9 173.1 116 59.3 25.45 202.6 59 1.09

54.65 95.4 1.91 157.4 25.3 13.16 4.45 0.395 67.9 0.87 12.8 42.9 176 116 59.35 25.9 203.8 59.6 1.09

53.7 93.5 1.89 154.7 25.15 12.86 4.33 0.39 66.7 0.86 12.8 42 173.1 110.4 59.3 25.45 199.1 59 1.08

FINANCIALS 54 13,870 94 1,453,130 1.9 22,000 157.4 966,570 25.2 51,400 12.9 510,900 4.44 25,000 0.39 270,000 67.9 1,533,550 0.87 19,000 12.8 100,000 42 690,400 176 220 110.4 180 59.35 340 25.9 500 203.8 225,610 59.25 2,580 1.08 2,649,000

748,045 136,689,103 41,840 151,202,084 1,295,145 6,636,542 110,820 105,750 103,616,401 16,510 1,280,000 29,107,525 38,459 19,928 20,172 12,770 45,821,764 153,153 2,866,220

346,943 -53810164.5 26,834,555 -748,635 -1,537,906 -27,650 34,033,583.50 -4497259.9996 -29,717 22,348,502 -127,538 -

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT AXELUM BASIC ENERGY BOGO MEDELLIN CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CNTRL AZUCARERA CONCEPCION CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CROWN ASIA DAVINCI CAPITAL DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP EMPERADOR FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG GINEBRA GREENERGY HOLCIM INTEGRATED MICR IONICS JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO ROXAS HLDG SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VICTORIAS VITARICH VULCAN INDL

35.9 2.63 14.22 0.59 3.79 0.238 90.5 2.55 15.14 6.78 18.9 30.8 65.1 68.1 2.1 5.34 5.35 8.84 15.28 10.4 7.28 23.3 78.4 44 2 14.22 7.98 1.46 203 54.8 5.1 3.59 8.7 19.1 12.46 17.18 335 0.182 1.45 4.2 4.77 9.5 11 32 5.03 5.35 2 1.96 1.05 11.52 90.9 7.78 0.125 1.09 152.1 2.5 1.2 1

37.1 2.63 14.5 0.61 3.91 0.242 90.5 2.58 15.18 6.78 19 30.8 65.1 72 2.11 5.34 5.35 8.87 15.3 10.48 7.3 23.55 78.4 45.7 2.08 14.22 7.98 1.46 205 54.95 5.1 3.63 8.7 19.1 12.98 17.18 335 0.182 1.54 4.3 4.78 9.5 11.08 32.6 5.03 5.41 2.03 1.96 1.06 11.52 91 7.89 0.125 1.1 154 2.52 1.22 1.04

35.9 2.57 14.22 0.58 3.78 0.235 90.5 2.55 15.1 6.2 18.36 29 65.1 68.05 2.1 5.34 5.32 8.83 15.02 10.4 7.22 22.9 77.8 42.5 1.97 13.92 7.87 1.42 202.2 48.5 5.1 3.59 7.95 19 12.38 16.7 330.2 0.182 1.41 4.2 4.69 9.42 11 32 5.03 5.35 1.98 1.96 1.05 11.46 90.05 7.7 0.123 1.05 151.7 2.5 1.19 1

INDUSTRIAL 36.5 926,900 2.58 2,498,000 14.5 29,800 0.6 524,000 3.78 3,871,000 0.241 840,000 90.5 70 2.57 731,000 15.14 4,426,100 6.3 1,153,300 18.98 12,300 29 114,400 65.1 100 72 850 2.11 47,000 5.34 6,200 5.32 4,100 8.86 360,000 15.2 40,700 10.42 34,400 7.23 7,443,200 23.05 2,700,700 78 23,640 42.6 29,900 2.03 7,217,000 14.1 340,000 7.87 86,600 1.46 12,000 204.4 495,140 48.5 1,700 5.1 100 3.63 6,000 8.21 83,100 19 823,000 12.5 140,200 17 878,700 330.2 77,440 0.182 50,000 1.45 5,944,000 4.28 9,000 4.7 1,167,000 9.5 20,800 11.08 13,200 32.05 148,500 5.03 3,700 5.35 31,900 2 930,000 1.96 3,000 1.05 188,000 11.48 9,100 91 13,250 7.8 35,500 0.124 3,800,000 1.05 1,544,000 152.4 643,360 2.52 2,000 1.21 1,353,000 1.02 328,000

33,932,665 6,458,140 428,738 311,100 14,816,760 198,900 6,335 1,871,030 67,011,030 7,413,961 230,656 3,381,565 6,510 58,939 98,720 33,108 21,905 3,186,363 617,506 358,788 53,816,209 62,307,755 1,843,681 1,287,905 14,623,750 4,792,880 684,009 17,180 100,969,460 90,405 510 21,580 688,493 15,637,614 1,743,380 14,942,380 25,641,736 9,100 8,760,420 38,280 5,518,370 196,736 146,048 4,791,985 18,611 170,671 1,860,900 5,880 198,300 104,456 1,200,579 278,275 468,860 1,644,360 97,926,736 5,020 1,631,170 336,240

-10,250,370 -539,240 -101,974 -6,000 979,720 -1272159.9997 -6,177,252 -95,125.00 -3,378,660 -31,520 -2,089,901 527,030 285,734 -1,502,519 -57,047,435 -9,754 238,035 -4,405,160 -2,776,694 -39,165 -20,970,356 -222,294 -95,850 -13,984,926 -11,224,512 -2,700,560 -778,020 -226074.9999 51,889 18,352 -290,063.50 -7,836,097 -342,750 -1,030

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ANSCOR ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP AYALA LAND LOG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.82 51.25 11.38 0.73 6.79 12.5 0.9 0.94 828 3.52 6.94 7.48 13.38 882 5.57 77.85 5.1 5.65 0.51 4.14 11.64 0.56 4.69 0.036 1.27 158 1,069 0.84 1.22 0.213 0.226

0.83 52.25 11.52 0.75 6.8 12.5 0.93 0.95 831.5 3.65 6.98 7.62 13.38 900 5.57 78 5.1 5.65 0.51 4.14 12.42 0.57 4.69 0.037 1.3 159.9 1,080 0.84 1.26 0.213 0.228

0.8 51.2 11.34 0.71 6.31 12.26 0.87 0.93 824 3.5 6.91 7.45 13.14 882 5.57 77 5.1 5.65 0.51 3.97 11.56 0.56 4.63 0.036 1.25 157 1,061 0.84 1.22 0.211 0.226

HOLDING FIRMS 0.8 13,860,000 51.2 942,870 209,679,900 11.4 0.73 155,000 6.31 105,000 12.48 3,800 0.93 3,141,000 0.95 46,000 827 242,240 3.5 1,129,000 6.95 1,322,800 7.62 22,551,200 13.14 31,300 900 77,700 5.57 100 78 574,060 5.1 800 5.65 2,000 0.51 1,000 3.97 2,410,000 12.42 7,612,300 0.57 61,000 4.65 11,901,000 0.037 900,000 1.3 139,000 159.9 64,990 1,069 275,130 0.84 171,000 1.26 165,000 0.211 350,000 0.228 160,000

11,184,160 48,483,621.50 2,394,942,464 113,110 683,124 46,738 2,864,770 43,110 200,432,030 3,975,810 9,193,759 169,243,834 417,810 69,872,660 557 44,648,862 4,080 11,300 510 9,713,000 90,864,852 34,190 55,333,500 32,800 175,380 10,276,941 294,228,810 143,640 201,390 74,090 36,240

-1,864,090 -27766216.5 -663,953,002 950 -70,810,160 631,840 1,723,786 -122,842,633 -60,564 41,761,605 21,487,389.50 -5,845,700 4,698,812 16,800 -24,068,900 -4,198,695 86,871,965 10,980 -

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND

14.84 0.79 8.87 1.63 0.92 44.9 2.01 4.8 0.58 0.85 0.198 0.44 10.22 19.9 0.45 0.121 1.54 1.24 4.7 0.25 1.38 0.365 2.02 52.95 26

14.84 0.8 9.95 1.63 0.96 45.5 2.03 4.83 0.6 0.85 0.198 0.44 10.24 20 0.45 0.121 1.57 1.28 4.76 0.25 1.4 0.37 2.04 52.95 26.05

14.8 0.79 8.87 1.63 0.92 44.8 2 4.66 0.58 0.85 0.196 0.44 10.1 19.72 0.45 0.121 1.54 1.23 4.69 0.239 1.33 0.36 2.02 52.95 25.8

PROPERTY 14.8 467,600 0.8 266,000 9.9 5,200 1.63 29,000 0.95 6,426,000 45 10,232,500 2.03 558,000 4.71 338,000 0.59 12,433,000 0.85 13,000 0.196 250,000 0.44 510,000 10.16 48,700 19.9 81,000 0.45 490,000 0.121 120,000 1.56 4,778,000 1.23 559,000 4.76 12,710,000 0.243 19,410,000 1.35 2,712,000 0.37 160,000 2.03 110,000 52.95 100 959,900 26

6,930,586 210,160 46,335 47,270 6,026,870 460,694,115 1,125,540 1,596,600 7,320,650 11,050 49,220 224,400 495,584 1,603,010 220,500 14,520 7,437,980 704,030 60,305,840 4,703,540 3,681,850 58,000 222,340 5,295 24,932,125

-154,256 -1,600 -88,160 -112,831,005 -620,390 655,040 3,437,650 -285143.9999 -121,500 -706,350 4,770,560 -121,500 508,710.00 -30,300 -3,314,150

NAME

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

2.19 3.2 39.9 2.53 1.5 7.67 5.34

2.22 3.27 39.9 2.53 1.56 7.67 5.35

2.19 3.2 39.55 2.43 1.48 7.62 5.34

2.2 3.21 39.8 2.43 1.56 7.67 5.34

55,000 12,000 4,950,900 108,000 7,029,000 1,076,900 6,300

121,750 38,640 196,775,120 267,880 10,792,190 8,250,716 33,672

0 -562,125 -4,930,060 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PH RESORTS GRP PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

10.1 17.6 1.53 11.54 0.465 0.039 2.6 11.26 91 7.18 6.46 5.51 8.83 890.5 1,910 5.27 425 1.49 119.9 0.105 4.7 2.31 14.02 2.96 0.91 18.6 0.405 3.4 2.36 3.05 2.68 7.9 4.63 150 2.84 1,107 0.65 0.42 40 75.1 8.86 2.8 0.69 0.31 0.63 18.3

10.2 17.62 1.59 11.6 0.48 0.039 2.68 11.38 91.95 7.18 6.5 5.51 8.83 890.5 1,954 5.3 425 1.49 123.3 0.109 4.7 2.31 14.02 3 0.91 18.6 0.58 3.4 2.38 3.15 2.68 8 4.63 150 2.84 1,114 0.66 0.42 40 75.85 9.25 2.85 0.69 0.31 0.63 18.36

10 17.4 1.53 11.5 0.46 0.039 2.6 11.1 90.7 6.93 6.39 5 8.8 890 1,910 5.26 425 1.45 119.9 0.105 4.6 2.31 14 2.95 0.91 18.3 0.405 3.4 2.35 3.05 2.68 7.9 4.63 150 2.75 1,100 0.65 0.41 38.9 75.1 8.8 2.78 0.67 0.305 0.62 18.2

SERVICES 10 17.4 1.59 11.6 0.475 0.039 2.65 11.38 91.8 6.93 6.39 5.39 8.82 890 1,929 5.3 425 1.45 122.1 0.109 4.6 2.31 14 2.96 0.91 18.32 0.44 3.4 2.35 3.12 2.68 7.9 4.63 150 2.81 1,112 0.65 0.415 39.95 75.2 9.15 2.8 0.69 0.31 0.62 18.2

12,500 210,600 3,000 8,249,900 2,170,000 8,000,000 416,000 2,645,000 39,530 300 287,400 206,300 51,800 120 51,840 80,300 100 196,000 919,750 1,010,000 1,254,000 7,000 200 208,000 10,000 728,900 42,570,000 114,000 126,000 1,157,000 6,000 5,800 3,000 995,830 890,000 63,630 851,000 6,300,000 764,800 47,560 1,202,600 1,171,000 368,000 2,240,000 482,000 537,600

125,956 3,679,362 4,710 95,345,070 1,017,150 312,000 1,099,370 29,987,380 3,598,401.50 2,129 1,842,044 1,043,101 456,676 106,855 100,242,175 424,806 42,500 285,440 112,340,388 107,270 5,808,280 16,170 2,802 615,460 9,100 13,387,380 20,865,750 387,600 296,530 3,572,390 16,080 45,860 13,890 149,374,500 2,483,490 70,641,705 555,370 2,608,350 30,537,640 3,576,404 10,740,206 3,284,510 250,290 691,300 300,900 9,835,402

-1,010 3753329.9999 -51,050 12,221,992 -1,718,322 -127,585 -1,010,391 97,955 6,291,270 -125,200 -2,787,737 96,600.00 -153,440 -2,859,196 -120,050 -212,980 9,000 -55,710 -16,081,545 -329,320 -272,750 3,628,130 -3483167.9997 -139,870 -49,600 5,664,654

ABRA MINING AC ENEXOR APEX MINING ATLAS MINING ATOK BENGUET A BENGUET B CENTURY PEAK DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE LEPANTO A LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES NICKEL ASIA NIHAO OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL PX MINING PXP ENERGY SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON

0.0017 13.28 1.11 2.59 11.94 1.08 1.1 2.53 7.76 1.78 0.214 0.105 0.104 0.0088 1.05 3.12 1.07 0.53 0.81 0.011 0.012 0.011 3.3 12.34 23.6 0.006

0.0017 13.92 1.11 2.59 11.94 1.1 1.1 2.53 7.76 1.83 0.214 0.105 0.105 0.0088 1.05 3.33 1.07 0.54 0.82 0.012 0.012 0.011 3.3 12.46 23.6 0.0061

0.0016 11.82 1.1 2.59 11.94 1 1.03 2.52 7.7 1.77 0.207 0.103 0.104 0.0086 1.03 3.12 1.03 0.53 0.81 0.011 0.011 0.011 3.28 12 23.3 0.006

MINING & OIL 0.0016 33,000,000 11.88 4,339,600 1.1 611,000 2.59 5,000 11.94 900 1.06 121,000 1.03 30,000 2.53 700,000 7.7 200 1.81 1,984,000 0.212 280,000 0.103 1,790,000 0.105 1,180,000 0.0088 14,000,000 1.03 130,000 3.27 5,966,000 1.06 104,000 0.54 54,000 0.82 26,000 0.012 13,500,000 0.012 712,600,000 0.011 6,100,000 3.28 67,000 12.1 410,500 23.4 407,000 0.0061 4,000,000

56,000 54,315,272 673,790 12,950 10,746 123,470 31,600 1,766,000 1,546 3,589,320 58,820 184,770 123,800 121,800 135,370 19,439,540 107,220 28,650 21,070 159,500 7,869,400 67,100 220,140 5,026,852 9,508,045 24,200

-818,518 -105,640 148,840 -113,400 -5,701,820 -3,920 282,785 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 ALCO PREF B ALCO PREF C DD PREF GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B LR PREF PCOR PREF 2B PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

17 508 100.5 103 101.4 975 994 1.02 1,035 1,065 101.9 110 1,023 78 75.2 77 75.25 75.1 75.1

17 508 100.5 103 101.4 975 994 1.02 1,035 1,065 101.9 110 1,030 78.05 75.3 77 75.25 75.1 75.2

17 508 100.5 103 100.3 975 994 1.02 1,035 1,065 101.9 110 1,023 78 75 77 75.15 75.1 75.1

PREFERRED 17 56,500 508 500 100.5 550 103 10 100.3 17,910 975 7,390 994 50 1.02 109,000 1,035 350 1,065 10 101.9 2,400 110 180 1,030 90 78 31,980 75 168,000 77 1,900 75.2 88,780 75.1 31,080 75.2 36,360

960,500 254,000 55,275 1,030 1,805,573 7,205,250 49,700 111,180 362,250 10,650 244,560 19,800 92,350 2,494,649 12,602,565 146,300 6,674,802 2,334,108 2,731,922

-958,800 9,940 -20,600 18,000 -

LR WARRANT

1.51

1.54

1.5

WARRANTS 1.5 62,000

93,830

-43,500

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH MAKATI FINANCE XURPAS

5.35 12.5 2.57 0.95

5.4 12.88 2.57 0.98

4.92 12.1 2.56 0.94

SME 4.95 12.42 2.56 0.98

7,465,968 9,850,572 28,210 2,308,480

115,680 -29,100

FIRST METRO ETF

118.1

118.5

118.1

USD TECH B2

0.96

0.96

0.95

MS Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

8,534,639

INDUSTRIAL

55,018,667

HOLDING FIRMS

280,588,643

PROPERTY

86,959,093

SERVICES

87,168,840

MINING & OIL

801,438,221

GRAND TOTAL

1,324,396,282

1,478,300 792,200 11,000 2,404,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.5 1,590 0.95

DDS

10,000

187,944 9,582

-2,370 -

VALUE 1,919.01 (up) 9.07 479,794,467.46 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,037.24 (up) 21.09 650,259,140.662 HOLDING FIRMS 7,806.99 (up) 34.71 3,476,749,181.59 PROPERTY 4,075.63 (up) 2.09 1,549.57 (up) 5.72 806,862,861.15 SERVICES MINING & OIL 8,601.01 (up) 50.92 683,296,833.597 PSEI 7,912.14 (up) 31.20 103,685,277.18 All Shares Index 4,729.72 (up) 9.46 6,220,490,415.92 Gainers: 88; Losers: 100; Unchanged: 50; Total: 238

Max’s Group signs P2-b loan deals with DBP

By Jenniffer B. Austria RESTAURANT chain Max’s Group Inc. and a wholly-owned unit have signed a P2-billion term loan agreement with Development Bank of the Philippines.

Max’s said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a P1-billion, fiveyear term loan agreement. It plans to use proceeds of the loan to refinance short-term loans to mitigate financing costs and fund general corporate requirements.

Wholly-owned subsidiary No Bia Inc. also signed a P1 billion, 10-year loan agreement with DBP. It plans to use the loan’s net proceeds to fund the construction and commissioning of a commissary and distribution center in Carmona, Cavite that will serve all Max’s business units.

No Bia’s loan is secured by a suretyship extended by Max’s.

Max’s has a store network of 730 stores as of end September, with 64 branches scattered across North America, the Middle East and Asia.

Max’s net profit rose 8.5 percent to P128 million in the third quarter of 2019 from P118 million recorded yearon-year.

Systemwide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers, increased 7.7 percent to P4.82 billion from P3.68 billion.

Revenue during the quarter amounted to P3.39 billion, up 5.3 percent from P3.22 billion on year.

“Our positive results are attributed to the success of our current companywide strategies, namely: growing our franchise business, investing in supply chain modernization, and strengthening brand relevance. As industry conditions improve, we are resolute in our commitment to maintain market leadership and increase shareholder value,” said Max’s president and chief executive Robert Trota.

Max’s said it had been teaming up with food aggregators to supplement in-house delivery operations. Delivery sales grew 15.8 percent to P1.32 billion in the first nine months of 2019 from P1.14 billion a year ago.

“We hope to advance our overall performance during the holiday season and to end the year strongly. We have augmented the capacity of our commissary operations and continue to future-proof our business for sustained efficiency and long-term profitability,” said Max’s chief operating officer Ariel Fermin.

SMC tollway unit registered 9-month income of P2.43b

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE tollway unit of San Miguel Corp. booked a net income of P2.43 billion in the first nine months of 2019, up 2 percent from P2.27 billion year-on-year, boosted by higher vehicle traffic volume.

South Luzon Tollways Corp. registered a profit of P779.8 million in the third quarter, up 2 percent from P763.4 million on year, on higher toll revenue and interest income .

Year-to-date revenue improved 4 percent to P4.68 billion from P4.51 billion last year due to increased traffic volume.

Toll revenue posted an increase of 4 percent in the third quarter to P1.54 billion from P1.48 billion a year ago.

“Traffic volume in Southern Luzon continuous to be enhanced by the rapid expansion of residential and industrial areas, spurred by the government’s decentralization drive to stimulate business activities outside Metro Manila,” SLTC said.

In addition, the company said the growing logistics sector had brought about the construction of several warehouses along and nearby the South Luzon Expressway.

SLTC in March started the construction of the 66.74-kilometer SLEX Toll Road 4 that would connect Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City, Quezon.

The toll road will shorten the travel time from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Barangay Mayao in Lucena City from the usual three hours to just 45 minutes.

The new road is expected to boost economic activity through the faster transport and delivery of goods and services and cut vehicle volume along the busy Maharlika Highway, one of the main roads leading to the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, Quezon and the Bicol region.

SLTC will break ground today on the extension of South Luzon Expressway from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City, Quezon.

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World

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tired HK university protesters ignore warnings to surrender

NEW STORE. Nintendo’s Splatoon game character Inkling is displayed at a new Nintendo store during a press preview in Tokyo on November 19, 2019. Nintendo opens the doors this week at its first brick-and-mortar store in Tokyo, which is offering everything from Super Mario mugs to Zelda handbags at a complex targeting visiting gamers and local enthusiasts. AFP

HONG KONG―Dozens of exhausted pro-democracy protesters barricaded inside a Hong Kong university defied warnings Tuesday to surrender, as a police siege of the campus dragged into a third day and China sent fresh signals that its patience with nearly six months of unrest was running out.

High school students were among those holed up inside the battered Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), fearing arrest or being shot at by police, with many huddled in silver emergency survival blankets to keep themselves warm.

Some protesters escaped overnight by slithering down ropes from a footbridge to a road below, where they were whisked away on motorbikes, while others disappeared into manholes.

In an apparently co-ordinated effort to distract police during the escape operation, tens of thousands of people streamed towards the PolyU campus as clashes simultaneously raged with police in nearby Kowloon district.

The stand-off is the most intense and prolonged of Hong Kong’s pro-democ-

Worried families wait outside besieged school in Hong Kong H ONG KONG―The relatives of some of the young pro-democracy protesters holed up inside a Hong Kong university held an anxious vigil Tuesday as police vowed to arrest those inside.

Around 100 demonstrators remain barricaded inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) surrounded by riot squads who have been besieging them for three days.

One mother in her 50s, whose surname is Chan, said she was terrified that police would storm the campus with guns blazing and her 18-year-old son would be injured or even killed.

“I’m worried when the police go in to attack there will be heavy casualties, a Tiananmen 2.0,” she said, referring to the 1989 quashing of pro-democracy protests in the Chinese capital that left hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people dead at the hands of the Chinese

Dangerous haze blankets Sydney even as bush fire threat increases SYDNEY―Sydney was shrouded in dangerous haze Tuesday as smoke from bush fires blazing along Australia’s eastern seaboard sent pollution levels soaring in the country’s biggest city.

Official data showed that pollution had reached “hazardous” levels across Sydney, with the highest readings of PM 2.5 particulates in the city’s northwest reaching 186 parts per million on the air quality index―comparable to Delhi― and residents warned to avoid outdoor exercise.

The usually blue skies of the harbor city turned a miserable gray, with worldfamous landmarks the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge dulled against the skyline.

Although the smog had begun to ease under the midday sun, it would increase again on Tuesday evening, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

“Sydney is also known as the ‘big smoke’ and is living up to the nickname today,” the weather forecaster tweeted.

The New South Wales state environmental health director Richard Broome said the fine particles in smoke could irritate the respiratory system and aggravate existing lung and heart conditions.

“For most people, smoke causes mild symptoms like sore eyes, nose and throat,” he said.

“However, people with conditions like asthma, emphysema and angina are more likely to be sensitive to the health effects of smoke.”

Much of the smoke is being blown from a huge out-of-control bush fire burning across two national parks that is just 100 kilometers northwest of central Sydney at its closest point.

The blaze, which has been raging for several days, has already burnt through almost 140,000 hectares of bushland.

Six people have been killed and hundreds of homes destroyed in bush fires across New South Wales and Queensland since September, when an unusually early fire season began across drought-stricken regions in the east of the country. AFP

military.

A woman named Cheung said she had spent last night in a park near a police cordon as she waited for news of her adult son, who she said came to the campus as a first aider.

“I was very, very worried, worried his life could be in danger. He’s scared.

He’s scared about being arrested by the cops,” she said.

Demonstrators, who took to the streets in their hundreds of thousands in June over a now-shelved bill that would have allowed extradition to China, are demanding the right to elect their own leaders, as well as an inquiry into alleged police brutality.

The protest tactics morphed in the last 10 days into a “Blossom Everywhere” strategy of disruptive vandalism that has brought much of the transport network to a standstill and shuttered schools.

But the three-day PolyU occupation is the most serious and sustained episode yet.

Another mother, identified by her surname Chung, told the South China Morning Post her 16-year-old daughter was still inside the university, despite assurances that minors would not face any immediate legal action if they surrendered.

“No one can ask her to come out now.

She wants to walk out freely, and does not believe the police at all,” she told the paper.

“She communicates with me but refuses to listen to me.”

A father in his 50s, who gave his name as Wong, said his 17-year-old daughter

had initially refused to surrender because she feared arrest and a ten-year jail term for rioting, but had finally agreed to come out with her school principal.

“I’m worried about her personal safety, the legal stuff we can sort out later,” he told AFP. “If the police really go in to clear the place, once they’re inside no one knows what would happen in there. Anything could happen and we can’t predict.

“If in the worst case scenario, they really use live rounds, they could give any story they want and we wouldn’t know what really happened... Who would people believe?”

Cheung said she just wanted her son to come out safely.

“I believe they won’t charge my son, because he’s just helping people...

He’s not one of the people in black, he doesn’t have masks at home or any other tools like that, he just came out in jeans, a T-shirt and a windbreaker.” AFP

CELEBRATING STEINEM.

Visionary Women Celebrate Gloria Steinem in conversation with Cleo Wade at the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel, on November 18, 2019, in Beverly Hills, California. AFP

In desert dunes, electro fans rave about tourism in Tunisia ONG JMAL, Tunisia―Bass rhythms boom out across the Tunisian Sahara toward a herd of camels, lasers splash colors across the dunes and VIPs sip vodka in what was once a “Star Wars” movie set.

The Dunes Electronic music festival, launched in 2014, was revived last weekend on the set where US director George Lucas created the desert planet of Tatooine.

The festival marked a joyous and noisy comeback after a three-year silence following several deadly jihadist attacks in the North African country which also badly hit its tourism sector.

In a sign of the growing appeal of the remote Saharan region and its other-worldly landscapes, more than 20 international and local DJs and thousands of revelers converged on the desert site of Ong Jmal in southwest

Tunisia for the two-day extravaganza.

“We had already visited Tunis, but this time we came all the way here for the festival,” said Leopold Poignant, a 22-year-old student from Paris who planned to also visit the nearby oasis town of Tozeur after the party.

He said they were drawn by DJs like Adam Port and Konstantin Sibold, “but we’ve also come for the experience.

This is a Star Wars setting, and partying in the dunes is really something.”

The event was held around the circular constructions built 20 years ago as settings for the Star Wars spaceopera.

Ong Jmal is the best known of several sites in Tunisia where Lucas shot scenes of the youth of his hero Luke Skywalker. Each year, tens of thousands of tourists walk through the sand-swept set taking selfies.

As music played non-stop for 30

hours, those not dancing were huddled in nomadic tents set up as “chill zones” or, given the very real night-time desert chill, around camp fires.

Most of the 5,000 revelers were Tunisians, some of whom had never visited the area before.

“I’m a city girl, I don’t like these traditional areas, but now there are many events in the south so I ended up coming,” said Zoubeida.

Army and police were deployed around the party site, located less than 40 kilometers from the Algerian border.

The 2011 revolution which toppled longtime autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the jihadist attacks that killed dozens of tourists in 2015 dealt a heavy blow to Tunisia’s vital tourism sector.

Although the south was not directly targeted in the attacks, visits to the region have dwindled to mostly onenight outings from coastal resorts.AFP

racy crisis, which has seen millions take to the streets since June to voice anger at China eroding the territory’s freedoms.

A new phase of mass disruption last week caused chaos throughout the international financial hub, with schools closed, train lines disrupted and major roads blocked by barricades.

The move by hundreds of hardcore protesters to take over PolyU at the weekend was also a new tactic.

Previously they had focused on lightning strike protests and acts of vandalism.

The siege at PolyU had seen protesters repelling police surges with a barrage of Molotov cocktails, arrows and bricks. They also set fire to the university entrance on Monday.

After one officer near the campus was shot in the leg by an arrow, which had apparently been fired from one of the university archery kits being used by the protesters, police warned they were prepared to use live rounds.

Footage on Monday showed armored police beating fallen protesters with batons as they lay on the ground. AFP

IN BRIEF Israel intercepts four rockets

JERUSALEM―Israel’s anti-missile defense system intercepted four rockets fired from neighboring Syria on Tuesday, the army said.

“No hits on Israeli communities were identified,” the army added in a WhatsApp message.

Meanwhile, blasts were heard close to Damascus airport in the Syrian capital, the official SANA news agency reported on Tuesday morning.

Around 450 rockets were fired into Israel last week from the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of a military operation against an Islamic Jihad commander, according to the Israeli army, but no rockets were reported to have been fired from Syria.

Baha Abu Al-Ata, who Israel blamed for recent rocket fire into its territory, was killed in a strike on his home in Gaza City.

A ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic Jihad was agreed after 50 hours of clashes, but the deal remains precarious.

On the same day as strikes killed Ata, Syrian state media reported that an Israeli strike hit the home of another Islamic Jihad militant, killing his son and another person. AFP

Lam: Protesters must surrender

HONG KONG―Hong Kong’s chief executive said Tuesday that protesters occupying a city center university had to surrender if the three-day stand-off was to be resolved peacefully.

In her first public comments on the siege at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Carrie Lam said she believed around 100 people remained at the campus, surrounded by police who were trying to quell the unrest.

“This objective could only be achieved with the full cooperation of the protesters, including of course the rioters that they have to stop violence, give up the weapons and come out peacefully and take the instructions from the police,” she told a press conference.

Hundreds of mainly young protesters took over the campus at the weekend, holding off police assaults with a barrage of Molotov cocktails, bricks and arrows, in the most extreme expression of a popular protest movement that is now in its sixth month.

Despite huge police deployments across the territory and almost 4,500 arrests, thousands of protesters continue to take to the streets, sparking warnings from Beijing that it is ready to intervene.

A brief weekend appearance on the streets of People’s Liberation Army soldiers based at Hong Kong garrison―ostensibly to clean up protesters’ debris― fueled concerns that China is ready to make good on its threats. AFP

China mine blast kills 15

BEIJING―A coal mine explosion killed 15 people in north China’s Shanxi province, state media reported Tuesday.

Nine other people were injured by the gas explosion on Monday afternoon, which took place in a mine owned by Shangxi Pingyao Fengyan Coal & Coke Group Co, according to official news agency Xinhua.

Xinhua reported that 35 miners were working underground when the blast happened, but 11 miners were able to escape.

The injured miners were in stable condition and authorities were investigating the cause of the explosion, Xinhua said.

Deadly mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record.

At a meeting last week, the State Council―China’s cabinet―ordered a “special crackdown on production-related safety issues” to “further improve workplace safety”, Xinhua reported.

In December 2018, seven miners were killed in southwestern Chongqing municipality after the connecting segment of a mining skip broke and fell down a mine shaft. AFP

LGUs

Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com

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Graffiti has no place in Pasay, Rubiano warns

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

By Joel E. Zurbano

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

HOLIDAY COLORS. Performers

dressed as Santa Claus, princesses, and mascots join the Grand Magical Christmas Parade at SM City Bacoor in Cavite to mark the mall’s countdown for Christmas. The scene was repeated at SM Santa Rosa, which opened its colorful Christmas Rainbow Experience with City Mayor Arlene Arcillas (inset, center right) togeter with her mother Josefina Arcillas, Sanggunian members, SM’s Angel Torreja, assistant vice president for operations, and Evelyn Verzola, mall manager.

Norman Cruz and Roy Tomandao

DOH pushes eye health as part of UHC AN ESTIMATED 2.2 billion people around the world suffer from vision impairment. Yet the first World Health Report on Vision, recently by the World Health Organization, reveals that half of them, or about1.1 billion, do not receive the care they need for conditions like near and far sightedness, glaucoma, and cataracts.

Based on the 2018 Philippine National Blindness Survey and Eye Disease Study conducted by the Philippine Eye Research Institute of the National Institute for Health, vision impairment and blindness rank among the major concerns in the country with a current prevalence rate of 1.98%. This represents 1.11 million Filipinos with cataract, 400,000 with uncorrected error of refraction, almost 300,000 with glaucoma, and 200,000 with maculopathy. Additionally, there are over 4 million Filipinos living with undiagnosed eye problems that need to be addressed.

Although the prevalence of bilateral blindness due to cataracts and errors of refraction has decreased in the past years, there are still thousands of Filipinos with moderate to severe vision impairment.

“We are fortunate that these diseases can be treated with surgery or prescription eyeglasses. These can also be easily prevented with regular consumption of Vitamin A, injury prevention, and immunization for measles and rubella that cause vision impairment,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque emphasized.

In line with the Universal Health Care Law, the Department of Health is gearing toward providing comprehensive eye care services, integrating eye care within local health systems, and responding to emerging eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

“Through the primary care provider network that will be institutionalized under UHC, we hope to bring easy access and seamless referral to ophthalmic units, comprehensive eye centers, and national ophthalmic specialty centers. These health facilities will be capacitated to deliver the appropriate eye care services,” Duque explained.

The country’s Prevention of Blindness Program is revamped with the issuance of revised policies, aligning the program with UHC and WHO’s goal of universal eye health, while ensuring that it remains responsive to the changing trends in blindness and visual impairment.

“The DOH is fully committed to working with our partners to address blindness and visual impairment in our country.

Together, we can achieve our vision of Filipinos enjoying the right to sight, with no one going needlessly blind or visually impaired,” the Health Chief concluded.

More QC biz centers to open in malls soon

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE Quezon City government will open four more business centers in the next two weeks, Mayor Joy Belmonte has announced.

“We will continue working to make life easier for our constituents by putting up additional Business Centers in different malls so they can easily access the services provided by the city government,” Belmonte said Tuesday.

“Quezon City residents can expect more of these Business Centers in malls near their area because this is part of our promise to bring the City Hall closer to the people,” she added.

She inaugurated the first two business

centers at Robinsons Mall in Novaliches and at Ali Mall in Cubao where residents could transact starting Monday.

Edgar Villanueva, city treasurer, said the business center provides services such as current assessment and collection of payment of real-property taxes.

The center is also authorized to collect business taxes and payments for individual and corporate community taxes and other fees.

“With business centers now more ac-

cessible, we expect residents and businesses to pay their taxes and other fees on time,” Villanueva said.

Ma. Margarita Roa-Santos, Business Permits and Licensing Department chief, said the business center at Ali Mall, which is close to a Department of Trade Negosyo Center, can also help fast-track the processing of business and occupational permits.

Earlier, Belmonte entered into an agreement with Robinsons Land Corp., one of the largest mall operators in the country, for the establishment of a business center in three of its malls in Quezon City.

Under the arrangement, the city government will be allowed to establish business centers in three Robinsons malls—Galleria, Magnolia, and Novaliches.

Barangay officials of Runruno join FCF Minerals workers and DENR-MGB executives in Cagayan Valley to stand beside the new ambulance for the host barangay. Ben Moses Ebreo

Runruno gets new ambulance from FCF Minerals

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Barangay Runruno in Quezon town recently received a brand-new ambulance for its medical and mobile health services.

The P1.4-million Toyota van will be turned over to barangay officials of Runruno. The ambulance was funded

by the FCF Minerals Corp. through the barangay-initiated Social Development and Management Plan (SDMP) for this year.

FCF Minerals operates the gold-molybdenum mining project in Runruno.

Barangay Captain John Babli-ing said the ambulance was requested by their council to further boost their health and medical services for the villagers.

“This is a big help for our barangay since we are far from hospitals. This will be used to transport our sick villagers especially during emergencies and disasters,” he said.

The new ambulance was earlier proposed for funding through the health component of FCF’s SDMP, crafted by the barangay officials of Runruno hosting the mining project.

GRAFFITI or writings on the walls have no place in Pasay City.

This was the assurance made by Mayor Imelda Rubiano as she warned individuals “with a penchant for writing or drawing on walls” that her administration, in coordination with the Pasay City police, is strictly enforcing an ordinance against vandalism.

The warning came a few days after a Manila underpass near City Hall was vandalized by a group critical of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. The incident drew the ire of Manila residents and Mayor Francisco Domagoso.

Rubiano said City Ordinance 1496 is being enforced in Pasay and apprehended violators would need to either pay a fine or spend time in jail or community service.

“Pasay is a travel city. Volumes of people come here either because our city serves as their jumping-off point to other places, or they visit attractions and other key centers here,” she said.

“We are thus exerting all efforts to make our city clean, beautiful and attractive to visitors. For this, we are keen on instilling discipline, not only among Pasayeños, but also among those who are visiting our city,” the city chief executive added.

City Ordinance 1496 defines vandalism as “any form of writing, scribbling, scrawling or drawing…of any word, sign, or logo…or painting, spraying or splashing of paints, inks or coloring materials…or scratching or etching with the use of pointed or sharp object…or pasting or posting of any campaign or advertising materials on any private or public wall, fence, gate, building or legitimate signs, billboards or public announcements or removing or defacing any legitimate signs, billboards of public announcements…without written consent of the owner.”

SEARCA, ASEAN renew ties with agri biodiversity

By Brenda Jocson LOS BAÑOS, Laguna—The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity have agreed to continue cooperating on programs that will mainstream biodiversity in agriculture.

In a memorandum of understanding signed on November 4, 2019, the two international organizations agree to carry on their collaboration to pursue their common objective of building capacities of the ASEAN Member States in biodiversity conservation as it relates to agriculture and food.

Signatories to the MOU were Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, and Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, ACB Executive Director.

SEARCA and ACB will jointly undertake projects and activities covering thematic areas on agriculture and biodiversity, along with capacity enhancement activities and information exchange and awareness campaigns.

The collaboration includes capacity building activities, information exchange and awareness campaigns, and project development and implementation on sustainable agriculture and biodiversity.

Dr. Gregorio said a healthy natural resource base as a prerequisite for sustainable agricultural and rural development is emphasized under SEARCA’s new five-year strategic plan.

“Mainstreaming is important because of the inextricable connection between agriculture and biodiversity.

Together, our organizations can work to strike the balance between the two,” Dr. Lim said.

Farmers group endorses Sumalo HERMOSA, Bataan—Mainstream farmers belonging to peasant group Aniban ng Magsasaka, Mangingisda, at Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (AMMA-Katipunan) signed a petition endorsing the conversion of 213-hectare area from agricultural to industrial in Barangay Sumalo, this town.

About 150 mainstream farmers mostly from villages of Hermosa and Dinalupihan already signed the petition and the number is expected to increase with farmers from other towns already signifying their support, according to Rey Rentoza, chairman of Hermosa-based Pulang Lawin Farmers Association, a member-association of AMMA-Katipunan.

“It is timely to give way for the conversion of the land from agricultural to industrial to benefit Sumalo residents by giving them plenty of livelihood opportunities,” Rentoza said.

“We see a progressive Sumalo in the future with institutions in placed to serve the public and residents occupying permanent site,” he added.

Riverforest Development Corp., the company that owns the property formerly known as Litton Estate, has expressed bright prospect for industrial growth in the area given its accessibility and strategic location being near to two economic zones-Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Hermosa Economic Zone. Butch Gunio

BPSU GAB. Bataan Peninsula State University president Dr.

Greg Rodis, Bataan Gov. Abet Garcia, and keynote speaker DOST Usec. Renato Solidum share a laugh during the BPSU 2nd National Conference in Food, Environment, Engineering, and Technology in Balanga City. Butch Gunio

DAVAO CULINARY CUP. Solane LPG recently sponsored another successful Davao Culinary Cup at SM City Davao. The DCC is the biggest, most prestigious culinary competition in Mindanao.

It captures a similar value that Solane is consistently trying to advocate; that of recognizing the Filipino culinary talent and excellence that is at par with international standards, according to Solane Marketing manager Valeri Villano. As one of the Gold sponsors of the event, Solane also gave away exciting freebies and prizes to the winners and attendees.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

FASHION AND BEAUTY

By Bernadette Lunas

T

HE “Eyebrow Queen,” Anastasia Soare, continues to take over the world, one pair of “on fleek” brows at a time, as her billion-dollar company opens its first kiosk in the Philippines at Rustan’s Makati.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

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Eyebrows on point, thanks to Anastasia

Anastasia Beverly Hills or ABH is popular for its cult-favorite eyebrow products loved by professional makeup artists, celebrities, and beauty junkies worldwide. In fact, its bestselling Dipbrow Pomade is one of the most copied makeup products.

In addition to Dipbrow Pomade, the American cosmetics brand has also received numerous accolades for Brow Wiz, another eyebrow product.

With eyebrows on focus, ABH has introduced and patented its brow-shaping service dubbed “Golden Ratio Eyebrow Shaping Method,” which aims to find balance and symmetry through arches that perfectly frame a person’s face shape.

Prior to the opening of its first kiosk in Manila, fans and curious shoppers had to order online or ask someone going abroad to hoard for them.

Finally at the Rustan’s Makati outlet there is Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade, a full-pigment, waterproof pomade that can be used to fill in and detail brows. With a long-lasting and “buildable” formula, the product glides on effortlessly, dries down completely, and stays put for hours.

EYEBROW QUEEN. American cosmetics brand Anastasia Beverly Hills, founded by ‘Eyebrow Queen’ Anastasia Soare, opens its first physical store in the Philippines at the beauty section of Rustan’s Makati.

Three distinct blush shades in every Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Trio.

Also available are Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, an ultra-slim, retractable pencil whose unique wax formula adds texture and creates the appearance of fuller-looking brows; Powder Contour Kit which allows users to brighten, sculpt, and color-correct face, eyes, and even body; Glow Kit, which contains four shades

of highlighting powder featuring warm bronze hues and intense luminosity.

Fasn can also go crazy over the brand’s eyeshadow palettes. Anastasia Beverly Hills brings its bestsellers, including the Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette which consists of 14 full-pigment shades ranging from neutral to berry tones in

Anastasia Beverly Hills’ cult-favorite Dipbrow Pomade features a waterproof and ‘buildable’ formulation perfect for filling in eyebrows.

matte and metallic finishes.

Completing the debut lineup is Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick, the brand’s full-pigment matte lipstick in liquid formulation. More ABH products are available at the outlet.

ABH products are sold in over 25 countries worldwide.

ABH’s products are rooted on the ‘Golden Ratio Eyebrow Shaping Method,’ which finds symmetry through arches that perfectly frame a person’s face shape.

K-pop star Lisa of the girl group Blackpink is the new face of Penshoppe.

Myeongdong in Manila

SM Beauty’s K-Beauty Playground offers a wide range of Korean skin care and makeup brands.

FOR beauty junkies, especially K-beauty fans, a trip to Korea is definitely incomplete without a quick visit—at least two hours—to its shopping district, Myeongdong.

The bustling shopping area in Seoul is home to a number of fashion, skin care, and cosmetics brands, from mid-range to premium.

Leading department store The SM Store brings a piece of Myeongdong to its beauty section, offering a wide range of Korean beauty brands carefully curated at its K-Beauty zones.

Skin care brands include CosRx, Dear Klairs, Neogen, Mediheal, Leaders, Banila Co, AHC, Esfolio, The Saem, Dewytree, Face Republic, iWhite, Seoul White, Luxe Organix, Fresh, Bling Pop, Jayjun, and SNP. K-beauty cosmetics brands abound, with choices including BLK (Korean line), Yadah, Club Clio, Peripera, and Vice BT21 line.

“SM Beauty’s K-Beauty Playground is a wonderful place to discover, experience, and play with Korean beauty products to help achieve the signature doll-like makeup and glowing hydrated skin,” said Watsons and SM Beauty customer director Viki Encarnacion.

She added, “We are glad to be the preferred destination of K-beauty Watsons Personal Care Stores marketing controller Sharon lovers in the Philippines. There’s going to be a lot more brands that we Presbitero-Decapia (left) and senior category manager will bring in in the coming days for our customers to try.”

Aimee Pernia (right) with Sunny Kim.

Blackpink’s Lisa for a local fashion label THAI rapper and dancer Lisa Manoban of K-pop group Blackpink is the newest face of local apparel and accessories label Penshoppe.

She joins the growing list of global endorsers of the homegrown brand.

“We are excited to have Lisa in our growing Penshoppe family,” says Jeff Bascon, vice president for brand management of Golden ABC. At 22 years old, Lisa is the youngest member as well as the main dancer

of the group. She is currently the most followed female K-pop idol on Instagram with over 27 million followers.

Her group has been breaking records around the world. They are the first K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella in 2019.

In choosing her as their newest endorser, Bascon said, “She is effortlessly talented and her natural rhythm brings out the confidence in whatever she wears.”

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Life

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

A

Advanced skin care company offers breakthrough products in PH LEADING international research and development skin care company has recently launched its products in the Philippines.

US-based AQ Skin Solutions supports skin rejuvenation through its patented Growth Factors (GF) technology.

The cutting-edge growth factor technology was originally discovered through wound healing and cell regeneration therapy in third degree burn victims. Wounds that can be healed by GF technology include the overt ones (as in surgical incisions) and cellular level ones (such as those from non-invasive laser, radio-frequency, and ultrasound treatments).

Consistent medical research has proven that when formulated correctly, patented GF-technology holds the potential to reverse the cell aging process, fade scars, and boost the body’s natural repair process regarding skin, hair follicles, and vaginal walls.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Qahtani, a multiawarded immunologist and scientist, and founder and president of AQ Skin

Solutions—one of the only two companies in the world that have been granted a patent for GF—is the inventor of the technology of extracting human growth factors from the fibroblast of a skin cell to create the anti-aging serums.

Dr. Al-Qahtani was in Manila to personally launch AQ Skin Solutions, brought to the country by Dr. Cenia Lucas-Acevedo, founder of Vivacité Center for Scientific Wellness.

Dr. Lucas-Acevedo, a Health Optimization Medicine practitioner, was inspired to bring the brand over to the Philippines after observing how most of the current skin care treatments are invasive.

“So many skin care procedures and treatments promise to be the fountain of youth. But majority of them are invasive, can be painful, and not sustainable.

Cosmetic procedures like threads and fillers, for example, ironically ages the

Vivacité Center for Scientific Wellness founder Dr. Cenia Lucas-Acevedo (left) brings to the country AQ Skin Solutions, a brand of advanced skin care products that supports skin rejuvenation through its patented Growth Factors technology invented

by Dr. Ahmed Al-Qahtani (right).

skin in the long-term and merely pulls and pushes the face without really addressing the health of the skin itself. As it is, plumping the skin with a foreign element is actually stressful to our skin cells,” revealed Dr. Lucas-Acevedo.

She explained further, “AQ Skin Solutions supports the body’s own ability to regenerate and achieve better looking skin and to grow hair. It helps address the health of the skin itself. It is a modality that assists our body’s innate capacity to heal or correct an imbalance. Not to force the body to an unnatural state.”

AQ Skin Solutions Recovery Serum and Active Serum

AQ Skin Solutions has four products approved by FDA Philippines: AQ Active Serum, AQ Eye Serum, AQ Recovery Serum, and AQ Advanced Hair Complex+. All four have specific growth factors that respond to user’s specific needs.

The Active Serum, a daily topical system, is designed to promote rejuvenation by helping decrease fine lines and wrinkles. The Eye Serum, on the other hand, helps reduce the appearance of “crow’s feet,” wrinkles, and fine lines around the eyes.

Containing the highest concentration

of natural growth factors, proteoglycan, and glycosaminoglycans, the AQ Recovery Serum is popular among medical doctors as it enhances the effects of aesthetic procedures.

Finally, the AQ Advanced Hair Complex+ addresses aging hair follicles and hair loss by employing patented growth factor technology.

For more information on AQ Skin Solutions, call the Vivacité Center for Scientific Wellness at (02) 7717-8050 or 0915-7361681, or e-mail aqskinsolutionsph@gmail.com.

SALE ALERT

18-karat yellow gold earrings and chain set from F&C Jewelry

Ray-Ban’s Justin sunglasses

Tom Ford’s butterfly-shaped sunglasses

Polar eyewear offers glasses with polarized lenses that provide crisp visual experience with more natural and vivid colors.

Seeing in high definition

Luxe accessories at discounted prices

ITALIAN eyewear brand Polar, known for its polarized lenses, is now available in the country at Sarabia Optical.

The brand promises that glare, which happens when light hits a smooth, reflective surface, will be a thing in the past with its lenses with polarized filters. The lenses offers crisp visual experience with more natural and vivid colors, with perfect amount of contrast, accurate detail perception, and better depth perception.

Polar lenses also have an anti-scratch

TASTE a luxe life at lower prices as The SM Store’s branded watches, eyewear, and jewelry are on sale on Nov. 21-24.

Fine jewelry pieces, a selection of chic sunglasses, and elegant timepieces are on sale up to 30 percent off. SM Advantage, SM Prestige, and BDO Rewards cardholders get an additional 20 percent discount.

The sale is available at the Branded Accessories Department of The SM Store nationwide.

SPOTTED

Cop Duchess Meghan’s trench dress The Prismatic Galaxy watch from Fossil

Armani Exchange Lady Drexler in rose gold Lacoste 12.12 Chronograph Watch

Heart charms with chains from F&C Jewelry

THE lovely khaki trench dress, which Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, was recently seen wearing at The University of Johannesburg, is available here in the Philippines.

Duchess Meghan announced a new series of gender grants from the Association of Commonwealth Universities wearing a double-breasted trench dress from Banana Republic. The trench dress is part of the brand’s fall 2019 collection, which highlights urban utility pieces.

The trench dress is available at Banana Republic in Greenbelt 5 for P7,250.

coating as well as oil- and water-resistant coating to enhance each pair’s durability. They also feature a UVA, UVB, and UVC protection filter perfect for those who love to explore.

It also offers a variety of frames and lenses in different tints and colors, as well as bold frame shapes and sizes— from the famous aviators to eccentric hexagons.

Polar is available at Sarabia Optical nationwide.

The Duchess of Sussex in Banana Republic trench dress.

Entertainment

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘Malvar’ intended for MMFF 2020, int’l fest

SNAPSHOT

LAWYER Jose Malvar Villegas, Jr. (2nd from left), head of JMV Film Production (JMV) and grandson of National Hero Gen. Miguel Malvar, raises the hand of Sen. Manny Pacquiao (3rd from left) after a press conference held recently at Shangri-La Makati. The people’s champ is playing the title role in Malvar, a full-length movie on the true-to-life story of Gen. Malvar who was known as Supreme Commander of the 1898 Philippine Revolutionary Republic in the 1899-1902 Philippine-American War.

Also in photo are Camarines Sur Vice Gov. Imelda Papin (left), president of Actors Guild and Malvar’s line producer, and Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste (right), who will also play an important role in the film.

Malvar is intended for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2020 and other international film festivals. The presentation of the entire cast led by Sen. Pacquiao shall be on Dec. 22 at the Aberdeen Court Quezon City.

A remarkable year for

MAJA SALVADOR I

T WAS early this year when Maja Salvador rekindled her romance with young entrepreneur Rambo Nuñez Ortega. Until now, her relationship with her non-showbiz boyfriend is going strong.

Also this year, Maja top-billed another hit soap called, The Killer Bride and clinched her first international acting recognition via the Asia Contents Awards in Busan, South Korea for her outstanding work in Wildflower.

Given these positive developments, does she feel there’s still something lacking in her life?

“Well, I dream of becoming a super mom someday. Everyone knows that I come from a broken family. My folks are separated. So, it has been my goal that hopefully, when I already reached the next level and I’m prepared, I hope to become a great mother to my kids and a homemaker in general,” she says.

“Hopefully by that time, I already know how to take very good care of my own family. I hope that all the love I’ve been receiving at this point, I’ll be able to give back to my dear ones when the time comes. If I already have my own family, I would like them to feel the same amount of love I experience as of now. Actually, the goal is for me to have a complete family in the future. That’s my fervent wish,” she adds.

The actress is so happy with the presence of beau Rambo in her life at present.

“He is such a good guy. With him, I found something new to appreciate about life and myself as well. You thought that you already know your life’s direction but here comes an individual who will inspire you more.

It’s simply amazing,” she muses.

“Like when you encounter some difficulties and he’s there to be your shoulder to cry on, ready to give you advice. Not that he would insist you follow what he says. His words serve as balance. At the end of the day, it’s still up to you if you will follow it or not,” she carries on.

Apart from her boyfriend, Maja reveals that her mom and brother are also a great source of inspiration for her

Maricel Soriano, Dingdong Dantes, and Lovi Poe, stars of ‘Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real.’

GMA dramas draw strong viewership in Kenya, Dominican Republic

Maja Salvador with beau Rambo Nuñez Ortega

to work hard and realize her aspirations.

“Of course, they are a huge motivation, too why I’m so focused in honing my craft further. In the first place, you work hard because you want to give them a comfortable life, right?

I won’t be here in my present stature and enjoy all these blessings if not for my family. I can’t thank them enough for giving me unconditional love and support which I truly need especially since I’m in the showbiz industry,” she ends.

*** Young actress Kisses Delavin surprised everyone when she recently left Star Magic and inked a contract with Triple A Management and APT Films.

“Actually, it’s a career move,” she says. “I want to explore more, try new things. I want to search more opportunities. But of course, I will always be grateful to ABS-CBN, for everything that I’ve achieved out of my stint with ‘Pinoy Big Brother.’ I wouldn’t reach this stage if not for them.”

How did she bid her original home studio goodbye?

“I waited for my contract to officially end. Then, I personally talked to my big bosses in Star Magic and the office staff whom I’ve worked with. I thanked them for taking care of me during the initial stage of my career.”

Interestingly, Marian Rivera is instrumental for Kisses’ decision.

“That’s true! She’s gorgeous.

It’s through her why I’ve met Tito Rams David who heads Triple A Management. We saw each other at the Guillermo Awards and in a fashion show and I instantly felt her genuine caring. I also thought that APT will be a good home ground for me.”

Since she’s with APT already, it’s very possible that she’ll be doing projects for GMA. If ever, does she have anyone in mind whom she likes to be paired with her?

“I haven’t met yet all the artists of the Kapuso Network. I’m looking forward to that moment. Let’s see,” Kisses states.

Kisses Delavin has officially left Star Magic as she signed a fresh contract with Triple A, the same agency that manages the careers of GMA-7 artists Marian Rivera and Maine Mendoza

Thrilling..

From C4

Lead actor Kento Kaku disclosed that he was very happy when he found out about Nippon Noir and that he was chosen to star in it. “After listening to the producer’s detailed vision and after

reading the script, I have no doubt that this will be a drama that is unprecedented in Japan. I believe this is a work that will express our desire and appetite for good stories. What is justice? What is humanity? I hope you can stay with us till the very end,” he shared.

On the other hand, If Talking Paid stars Toma Ikuta as an

unemployed adult who lives with his mother and pesters her for money. In this drama, viewers get to witness the constant bickering of family members – a common scenario even among Filipino households.

“We’re glad to know that Filipinos get to watch Japanese dramas on GEM. I hope they enjoy If Talking Paid. This

GMA dramas continue to be popular among viewers in Kenya and Dominican Republic through the solid partnerships built by the network’s content distribution subsidiary, GMA Worldwide, Inc. (GWI).

According to data from African surveying platform Geopoll, Englishdubbed versions of several GMA programs airing in Kenya via KTN TV are exceeding expected figures for primetime viewership.

Among the most watched programs on KTN TV was the 2016 Kapuso romantic drama Once Again. It debuted with a strong 1.4 million viewers and soared to a peak of 2.3 million viewers.

Airing primetime on weekdays, the intriguing story of resurrected starcrossed lovers received positive reviews from Kenyan viewers.

Following Once Again is the internationally acclaimed drama Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real (The Other Mrs. Real) with viewership that peaked to 1.8 million.

The drama, which was a Silver Screen Awardee of the US International Film and Video Festival, was praised

by Kenyan viewers for its delicate and mature treatment of the controversial theme of infidelity.

Also with a peak viewership of 1.8 million was Pamilya Roces (Family Jewels).The comedy-drama about feuding sisters drew many viewers, especially fans of actress Carla Abellana who became popular among Kenyans after starring in My Destiny, Together Again, and Losing Heaven.

KTN TV also aired the dramas Hanggang Makita Kang Muli (Until We Meet Again), an

intriguing drama about a feral child; andSomeone To Watch Over Me, a story of a wife’s sacrifice for her husband diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Viewership of these dramas peaked at 1.5 million and 1.4 million, respectively.

The dramas’ unique storylines which portray the struggles of characters, who eventually triumph, appeal to Kenyan viewers. Made possible by GWI’s collaboration with Standard Media Group, GMA continues to strengthen its presence in the region by providing top-rating content not only to Kenya, but to the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.

Likewise, GMA Network’s groundbreaking drama Onanay (The Way To Your Heart) is making waves in the Dominican Republic as it delivers high ratings for broadcaster Color Vision. The Spanish-dubbed version entitled El Amor Mas Grande scored an average audience share of 12.48 percent between Oct. 10 to 23 making it the second most-watched program on the 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. timeslot and contributing to Color Vision’s strong daytime ratings.

Dominicano fans of the series also show their support on social media, praising it for its unique and unpredictable plot, and for shedding light on the story of little people.

El Amor Mas Grande entered the Dominican Republic via GWI’s successful partnership with Latin Media Corp. It tells the story of a mother with achondroplastic dwarfism longing for the acceptance of her daughter, while struggling through her difficult situation complicated by the lies, prejudice and discrimination around her.

Very Wang..

While crooner Richard Poon, Battle MC Rapido, actress-dancer AC Bonifacio, Eat Bulaga’s Mr. Pogi Nico Nicolas, It’s ShowtimeBida Man Jiro Custodio, MYX Vj Ai Dela Cruz and INC TV Deo and Bambi gave the audience a treat with their amazing performances.

To know more about Ka Tunying’s, customers may check their all new website at katunyings.ph, Facebook or Instagram pages @katunyingsph or call 8366-1342.

You may also visit any of the following branches: Ka Tunying’s Visayas Avenue, Ka Tunying’s Mega Mall, Ka Tunying’s Sm North Edsa, North Towers, Ka Tunying’s NAIA Terminal 3 Food Hall,Ka Tunying’s Junior- Naia Terminal 3 Departure, Clark International Airport, Sta. Rosa Nueva Ecija, San Isidro Nueva Ecija At Naia Terminal 2 International Departure.

From C4

Ka Tunying’s also caught the support of makabayan stars and personalities who graced the event and took an oath to stand for promoting local taste, including Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat, ABSCBN News reporter Pia Gutierrez, crooner Richard Poon, DZMM and Umagang Kay Ganda host Tina Marasigan.

Model and mommy vloggers Melissa Ricks and Helga Krapf, beauty queens Angelee Delos Reyes and MJ Lastimosa, comediansLong Mejia and Janus Del Prado, Umagang Kay Ganda’s host Ariel Ureta, Pat and Roxy, and Guerrero 2 movie stars Mia Suarez and Genesis Gomez played the “pinoytastic” games at the event. drama tries to break the mold as well, so I’m excited about it. I can see myself in the character of Mitsuru Kishibe. I also tend to go about my day with unkempt and messy hair. You could say that I’ve been preparing for this role my whole life,” Toma Ikuta quipped.

Catch GEM’s new episodes of “Nippon Noir” every Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. and If

Talking Paid every Monday at 10:00 p.m., both on the same week as Japan.

GEM, your destination for the best of Japanese entertainment, is available on SKYcable Ch 116 in Metro Manila; SKYcable Ch 222 in Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Baguio; GSAT Ch 57; and various provincial cable operators nationwide.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019

Warner TV cements leadership in Mega Manila numbers game

Beautiful Eves star in ‘ADAN’

From the same brilliant creator behind ‘Aurora’ and ‘Sigaw’ comes ‘Adan,’ a riveting psychological erotic thriller about love, lust and lies involving two women.

VERY WANG

V

NICKIE WANG

IVA Films’ Adan is a riveting psychological erotic thriller about a naive provincial lass who plans to murder her father for independence accidentally making her girl best friend to assist.

A story by Yam Laranas, it stars former beauty queen Cindy Miranda and showbiz newbie Rhen Escaño.

In the movie, Rhen and Cindy play Ellen and Marian, respectively. They are best friends who grew up together.

Their friendship is the only thing that brings happiness to Ellen who yearns to be free from the clutches of her father, Amang Lucas (Bembol Roco), and their impoverished life in the countryside.

When Ellen finally attains freedom, she lives a life of excitement with Marian. Their closeness develops into a sexually-charged romance.

Bonded like never before, the best friends-turned-lovers soon face a threat that will test their relationship.

Ellen is suspected by police inspector Abraham (Epi Quizon) to have killed her father. He’ll do anything to solve the case, but he cannot help but be attracted to Ellen’s beauty.

Ellen and Marian are now on the run.

With their lives on the line, they start to doubt each other and turn against each other. Their love becomes tainted by secrets and lies.

In this erotic thriller, Cindy Miranda proves just how serious she is about acting, especially because she shares a number of torrid kissing scenes with Rhen. She said in an interview, “I love acting, and I think I can do anything just to prove that I really love my craft.”

She commended her co-star Rhen for being professional in doing their intimate scenes.

“I have never kissed another girl before, but because Rhen is very professional, I didn’t feel any kind of awkwardness doing our scenes together.”

Under the direction of Roman Perez, Jr., the scenes come out “flawless” according to Cindy. Prior to this film, Perez wrote and directed Sol Searching, which won the People’s Choice Award in 2018 ToFarm Film. The first film he directed was “#Ewankosau Saranghaeyo” in 2015. Adan is his third

Rhen Escaño was a Best Supporting Actress nominee at the 2016 Cinema One Originals Film Festival for her role in ‘Si Magdalola at ang mga gago.’

Apart from being an actress, Cindy Miranda is also known for her stint as Bb. Pilipinas Tourism 2013.

directorial project.

Perez served as an assistant director of Yam Laranas in the Anne Curtisstarrer blockbuster film Aurora. His filmography as an A.D. includes various television shows like Maalaala Mo Kaya, Ipaglaban Mo, and films like Lilet Never Happened (2012) which competed in international film festivals and received five awards including Best Film.

With over a decade of experience in TV and movie production, theatre plays and advertising, director Perez advocates the development of alternative theater and filmmaking.

From Viva Films, in cooperation with Aliud Entertainment and ImaginePerSecond, Adan unspools today in cinemas nationwide. ***

Ka Tunying’s successful rebranding

On Friday, Ka Tunying’s announced, via a show held at SM North The Block, that it is now a full-service restaurant ready to serve more Filipinos their favorite home-cooked meals.

Together with its new look and logo, the all-new Ka Tunying’s carries the tagline “Panlasang Makabayan” and this relaunch of the restaurant was celebrated through an event, Panlasang Makabayan Day, the first-ever of its kind.

The event aimed to preserve and promote Filipino food, in a time when most Pinoys are saturated with an array of different global cuisines and food trends.

Ka Tunying’s mission also reinforces the Department of Tourism’s global campaign to support our rich cuisine and dining culture with the hashtag, #EatsmorefuninthePhilippines.

At the event, restaurant owners Anthony and Rossel Taberna, also shared how the business continues to grow by sharing the opening of their 9th and 10th branch, the NAIA Terminal 3 Domestic Area branch that recently opened and the soon to open flagship branch in Tagaytay this December.

Ka Tunying’s has also formed partnerships with other businesses, an example of which is with Genesis Bus, where Ka Tunying’s supplies their bread to passengers on board. Continued on C3 Actor Ejay Falcon, DOT Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat, Anthony and Rossel Taberna, and crooner Richard Poon.

Kate Adajar of Random Republika

IN THE build up to last Sunday’s Warner TV Pop Expo, the channel has sealed its position in the general entertainment channel rating in Mega Manila. Warner TV has also added Batwoman, the latest sameday drama alongside new blockbuster movies to its unparalleled mix of firstrun and exclusive programming.

Warner TV is currently the topranked English general entertainment channel among young adults 25-44 in Mega Manila*, where other DC superhero series and comedies like Friends and The Big Bang Theory, and reality shows including Impractical Jokers, The Dunk King and Storage Hunters are also standout performers.

The exclusive Asia debut of Batwoman and the timeslot-winning premiere of Wonder Woman marked the launch of Warner TV’s recent campaign “Fearless Femmes”. Batwoman arrived on screens in the Philippines sitting alongside six other express titles: Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Blindspot, Supergirl, Young Sheldon and The Flash.

New episodes air the same day as the US and land in the Philippines every

Monday at 9:00 p.m. on Cignal CH 235 and SkyCable CH 34.

Fearless Femmes also includes crossover episodes from the famed Arrowverse. These include the Elsewords specials, which introduce Batwoman and Lois Lane, and features legendary female characters such as Killer Frost, Supergirl, Black Canary and White Canary.

It’s a case of ladies first… and men second. Warner TV celebrates International Men’s Month in November with the “Hunky-Dory” campaign boasting a heap of hunk-filled weekend movies. The premiere of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (Nov. 30) will lead the charge alongside Batman and Superman, Tarzan and Kong: Skull Island.

Marianne Lee, Vice President of General Entertainment Content at WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, Asia Pacific, said: “Warner TV is the premier destination in the Philippines for so many first-run Warner Bros. series, particularly the DC catalogue.

Warner TV is the ‘home of the superfan’ and we’d like to thank our loyal viewers for tuning in to share in all the action and adventure.

‘Batwoman’ premieres as seventh same-day drama as part of Warner TV’s ‘Fearless Femmes’ campaign .

Thrilling Japanese action and family dramas on GEM WHAT happens when you watch a TV series that opens with a detective waking up with a gun in his hand, a female detective’s dead body next to him, and no memory of how he ended up in that situation? How about a family drama wherein the lead character is a 31-yearold unemployed man who lives off his mother like a parasite and is badgered by his sister to make something out of his life?

Both have interesting storylines that can pique the curiosity of Filipino viewers, and it is for this reason that GEM brings the compelling Japanese action drama Nippon Noir and family drama If Talking Paid to Philippine TV. An all-Japanese TV channel from Sony Pictures Television and Nippon TV’s joint venture, GEM offers premium Japanese entertainment across Asia and gives Filipinos the front-row seat to the best of Japanese

programming.

Starring popular Japanese actors Kento Kaku and Ryoko Hirosue, Nippon Noir is a riveting journey of humanity and the quest for justice as the story explores the mystery behind a billion-yen robbery and a possible murder setup that has turned a detective’s friends into foes after evidences are destroyed and the ensuing cover-up traps the protagonist in a web of lies and deceit.

“It’s an interesting story and there’s nothing cliché or typical about it. I play the character of Kaoru Usui, who is found dead right at the beginning of episode 1. And though I think I’ve played a lot of dead characters already, it’s quite impactful this time,” explained Ryoko Hirosue, who admits that she finds her first time acting in a cop drama in Nippon Noir very challenging. Continued on C3

In the Japanese drama If Talking Paid, viewers get to witness the constant bickering of family members – a common scenario even among Filipino households.

‘Ford v. Ferrari’ maneuvers around competition to lead box office ‘Ford v Ferrari,’ starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale, recounts one of the great stories in motorsports.

NEW Fox release Ford v. Ferrari roared to the front in North American box offices over the weekend, taking in an estimated $31 million on an overall slow weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

The film is based on the true story of how a team at Ford under legendary designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and working with British driver Ken Miles (Christian Bales) builds a car to challenge Ferrari’s longtime dominance of France’s classic 24hour Le Mans race.

The film garnered a rare A+ CinemaScore from viewers, the highest among new nationwide offerings, which should help it recoup its $100 million production cost, Variety reported.

In second was last week’s leader, Lionsgate’s Midway, with $8.8 million in Friday-to-Sunday ticket sales, just half its opening-weekend take. The PG-rated film looks at the pivotal naval battle between US and Japanese forces in the Pacific in June 1942.

A new chapter in the Charlie’s Angels saga opened in third place,

taking in what analysts called a disappointing $8.6 million.

The Angels’ last big-screen film, in 2003, debuted to a far more impressive $37 million. Kirsten Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska star as the trio of glamorous spies with a mission to save the world.

Paramount’s comedy Playing With Fire placed fourth at $8.55 million. John Cena, Keegan-Michael Key, and John Leguizamoportray a crew of tough firefighters who rescue three unruly siblings and end up having to babysit them.

Fifth place went to Universal’s early-arriving Last Christmas, at $6.7 million. Emilia Clarke plays Kate, who is none too happy about her job as a department store elf until she meets handsome Tom (Henry Golding), who seems—perhaps is?—too good to be true.

Overall, it was a strikingly anemic showing for the weekend’s top five, which took in a total $63.6 million, less than half the $143.4 earned by the top five in the year-earlier period, Exhibitor Relations said. AFP